Silent Night
by Starlight-x
Summary: FINISHED! Xousia has attacked, forcing Preventer into hiding. Now Relena finds herself on the run from an unknown enemy. Who is responsible for all this havoc? Can the former pilots find out before they are captured? R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing does not belong to me. I'm only using the characters to create what I hope will be an interesting storyline. All original characters are mine. This storyline is also copyright to Starlight.  
  
I hope you will find this interesting reading. It has taken me a while to get it started and I would like to thank Trevor_X1 for his input. He certainly was a great help when I had questions that needed another brain to help answer.  
  
And for any of you that wondered, Xousia is a Greek word that means power, authority, force, mastery. You get the picture. :-) It is pronounced zoo- see-ah.  
  
Oh, anything within these two characters represents thought. Example: They are so cute! Thanks for reading!  
Silent Night  
  
Chapter 1  
  
By: Starlight  
  
Preventer had for many years been under the iron management of Lady Une. Following her leadership the giant security organization had run like a well oiled machine. Their security knowledge was second to none. Though they had not replaced local law enforcement agencies they continued keeping an eye on global affairs and beyond into the star filled wonder of space.  
  
Today though chaos reigned. The imposing building housing Preventer headquarters was filled with running, people shouting, and an occasional burst of gunfire. Not even the strong leadership of Lady Une could quell the confusion. Preventer was slowly but surely being overrun by a rogue faction called Xousia.  
  
For months they had been keeping an eye on what appeared to be just another small rebellion. People unwilling to let the past die. Unfortunately that had only been a cover for what turned out to be a well planned attack.  
  
Sally Po and Chang Wufei were engaged in holding off a batch of Xousia adherents while some computer technicians were hurriedly working on shutting down Preventer's computer network.  
  
"This is really annoying." Sally muttered as she fired off a round and then stepped back to let Wufei take his turn.  
  
"I know." Wufei spoke calmly. His shot told and one of their attackers fell. He winced slightly as he continued. "But it would never do to let Xousia into our computer system. Imagine what they would do with all that sensitive information."  
  
"I know that." Sally's voice sounded strained. "How're you coming?" She glanced over her shoulder at the technicians.  
  
"Give us ten more seconds.." The head tech responded working with feverish haste. "Come on, come on.." He muttered.  
  
"And.. we've.. got it!" one of his partners spoke triumphantly as all the monitors went blank. "They won't get nothing now."  
  
"Get moving then!" Sally ordered. The technicians headed through a security door on the other side of the room. "Let's get out of here!" Sally glanced at Wufei.  
  
"Right behind you Major." Wufei gave a slight smile.  
  
Sally turned to follow the technicians when she suddenly gave a cry and fell to the ground clutching her left side. Blood ran over her hands and pooled on the floor beneath her.  
  
"SALLY!" Wufei dropped to his knee beside his stricken partner. He turned his gaze out the doorway and fired. His aim was deadly and another one fell.  
  
"Go on Wufei, leave me." Sally spoke through clenched teeth. Already black spots swirled in front of her eyes and she felt she would pass out from the pain.  
  
"Over my dead body." Wufei's eyes were hard. Very gently he picked up his partner and slung her over his shoulder. She groaned once as he strode through the security door, slamming it shut behind him just as the enemy soldiers ran into the room. He could hear them pounding on the door and shouting, but it wouldn't do them any good. Those security doors were meant to last just about anything.  
  
Wufei paused long enough to bandage Sally's wound. Ignoring her protestations that she would walk he picked her up again.  
  
He made his way toward the tunnels where the Preventer agents were leaving for different destinations, either the half-way house on the way to Central Command their underground headquarters, or to a small shuttle port or the parking garage.  
  
By the time they arrived at the tunnels Sally's breathing was shallow gasps. Wufei swore at the blood soaking through the makeshift bandage as he set her carefully on the ground.  
  
"You need a medic." Wufei glanced around.  
  
"Let's just go Wufei," Sally's lips were compressed into a tight line.  
  
Another Preventer pushed through the crowds streaming into the tunnels and knelt down by Sally. "Lieutenant Frances Escrovich." He said shortly. "I'm a paramedic." He examined the wound in Sally's side and then looked up at Wufei who was watching him closely. "I'm going to work on slowing the bleeding, but we need to get her someplace where she can have proper medical attention."  
  
"We were supposed to go to the half-way house and then on to Central Command with Colonel Une." Wufei said.  
  
"You can't carry her that far." Frances protested without looking up. "And she most definitely can't walk. Although," he added. "The half-way house would be the best place for her. I wouldn't really want to risk hospitals right now."  
  
"Wait a minute!" Wufei spoke sharply. "There's that remodeled golf cart and trailer used to move stuff between here and Central Command. She could ride in the trailer to the half-way house."  
  
"Good idea." Frances returned shortly.  
  
Wufei hurried out and claimed the vehicle, shooing out several Preventers who thought they could hitch an easy ride. Then he and Frances got Sally comfortably situated in the trailer.  
  
Wufei then slipped into the driver's seat and started the small golf cart while Frances squeezed himself into the trailer next to Sally. They quickly overtook and passed all the Preventers trudging to the half way house on foot. All moved out of the way for the vehicle while a few jokingly tried thumbing a ride. Wufei ignored them, intent on getting Sally to the house and the operational medical facility there.  
  
***  
  
Relena Dorlian Peacecraft glanced at her desk calendar and couldn't repress a smile. Christmas was only seven and some days away, while her holiday was only three days away. She had determined to take advantage of those precious vacation days and spend them with family and friends. She hardly ever saw Zechs anymore, what with his job at Preventer and her busy schedule. She missed him but was helpless to do anything about it.  
  
Absently she picked up a pen, her mind still wandering. The household staff had done a wonderful job decorating the house for Christmas. The tree still had to be decorated though. Pagen had told her with a grandfatherly smile that they would wait until both siblings could help.  
  
Relena propped her chin on her left hand, tapping the pen in time to the Christmas carol playing in her head, all the while staring at the red circled day on her calendar. Christmas always held a special place in her heart; it was so full of memories. Her smile turned a bit nostalgic.  
  
"Hard at work I see," A voice spoke dryly from the door to her office.  
  
Startled, Relena looked up to see her older brother smiling crookedly at her. "Zechs!" She couldn't help the squeal of excitement that invaded her voice as she pushed her chair back and went around her desk to give him a hug.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked as she squeezed him hard.  
  
"I have a meeting with some of the higher ups in E.S.U.N." He responded, returning her embrace. "I decided to drop by and see how you were doing."  
  
"I'm glad you did." Relena's smile was a bit wobbly. "I barely see you anymore." Then a question that had been lurking in the back of her mind came to the front. "Will you be home to help decorate the tree before Christmas?"  
  
Zechs smiled again. "I think I can manage to convince Lady Une to give me some time off for that." He patted her shoulder and turned to go. "Work hard." He called over his shoulder.  
  
Relena shook her head. Her brother's humor was of the dry variety, the very dry variety. She sometimes had a hard time figuring out whether he was joking or serious. With a sigh she turned back to her desk, determined to keep her mind on her work this time. As always she was overloaded with paperwork that had to be done. Reseating herself she began, while at the same time slightly wondering what Zechs' meeting was about. Pushing the question away she concentrated solely on her work.  
  
Right now she was perusing through all her messages marked urgent. Shaking her head she sighed. Everything seemed urgent these days. Some of the problems she was faced with seemed trivial though she gave everything her best effort.  
  
Several hours later she sat back rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. The cup of coffee her secretary had provided sitting untouched by her right arm. There was a slight squabble between transport lines in two different colonies that she hoped wouldn't become any bigger, requiring her personal intervention. Why can't people just get along? She thought, slightly irritated.  
  
The sound of her office door opening caught her attention. She glanced up, half expecting to see her brother come to say goodbye as he left. To her shock Heero Yuy stood there. One look at his face and she could tell his was no pleasure visit.  
  
"Come."  
  
Relena sat staring at him, bewilderment evident on her face. "What's going on?"  
  
Heero let go of the door handle and took a couple steps into the room reaching out a hand to her. Again the simple command. "Relena, you have to come now."  
  
Had she only imagined it or was there urgency in his tone? She stood, knowing Heero as she did she wouldn't put it past him to carry her out if she didn't come on her own accord.  
  
He had already turned and was speaking quietly to her secretary, Jolene, in the other room. The woman nodded briefly from where she was pulling files out of a filing cabinet and piling them in a metal trash can.  
  
"What's going on?" Relena asked again.  
  
Both Heero and her secretary looked up at her. "Don't worry Ms. Peacecraft." Jolene's voice was calm as always. "You just go with Mr. Yuy."  
  
In a daze Relena slipped on her coat and followed Heero out into the hall. Zechs met them there. To Relena's astonishment he pulled her in for a quick hug and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I love you little sister," he murmured. Then turning to Heero who was standing by impassively. "Get her out of here Yuy, I'll make sure no one follows you."  
  
"Milliardo what's going on?" Relena's tone was anxious. Noises had begun to infiltrate her consciousness. Sounds of shouts and commands mixed with an occasional scream.  
  
"Just go Relena." Zechs said. At the same time Heero grasped her arm and started walking down the hall.  
  
"I love you Zechs." Relena called over her shoulder, half running to keep up with Heero's long strides.  
  
Zechs watched until they disappeared around a corner, then he stepped into Relena's office. Already he could smell the acrid fumes from the fire burning in the trash can. "How's it coming?"  
  
"Fine Wind." The young woman's fingers flew over her keyboard. "The computer system is almost useless and most of the important papers here have become ashes." She nodded toward the trash can.  
  
"Good, finish in Relena's office as quickly as you can. We're going to have company soon." Zechs returned to the doorway to continue his vigil staring down the hall way.  
  
The young undercover Preventer agent disappeared into Relena's private sanctum. Zechs could hear her pulling out file drawers and rummaging through papers. In a moment she came out with an armload that she dropped into the small fire. Soon all that remained was ashes. "All done."  
  
Zechs nodded, his gaze fixed. "Not too soon either. Company's coming." There was a rustle of clothing and he glanced to his right to see his companion crouching down where she could safely shoot out of the doorway, but not be seen. Already she held a rather wicked looking little gun.  
  
"It might be better if you played the part of the frightened secretary who doesn't know anything." Zechs muttered.  
  
"Huh uh." She shook her head. "This is as much a part of my job description as it is yours."  
  
"Fine," Zechs sighed. "You better shoot good then."  
  
Meanwhile Relena panted slightly as she ran. Heero had let got of her arm but he hadn't slowed down one bit. If anything he had urged her to go faster as he led her down and out of the building through what looked to be a janitor's entrance. "Get in the car."  
  
Relena obeyed, pulling open one of the back doors of the idling silver colored Toyota Camry. Heero tumbled in behind her slamming the door shut as the car shot forward, tumbling Relena off the seat.  
  
Relena braced her feet against the floor, trying to keep from being tossed around. Buckling up was out of the question. She strained to see who the driver was and was met with a familiar dark brown braid. She shook her head. Who else but Duo would drive like that? She moved to get up all the way on the seat but was stopped by a strong hand. She looked at Heero with a question in her eyes.  
  
"Wait."  
  
Suddenly Duo stomped on the brake. "They've set up a roadblock, darn." He jerked the steering wheel hard to the left and shot forward into a small side street. "They want to make this hard don't they?" He muttered. He twisted the steering wheel violently again. Relena closed her eyes and prayed silently that they would all get out of this alive.  
  
For a while all she could tell was that they were making a lot of sharp turns. Duo sounded stressed from the tone of his voice, she couldn't quite tell, but she thought he was swearing under his breath. Heero kept alternately looking out of the back window and then out of the front.  
  
After a time, both Heero and Duo seemed to relax. "You can get up now." Heero's lips curled up in the closest thing to a smile coming from him. Relena sat on the seat with a sigh and smoothed out her dress. "NOW will somebody _ please_ tell me what's going on?" Her patience with this strange proceeding had reached its limit.  
  
For a moment nobody spoke. Duo glanced at Heero in the rearview mirror, his face unnaturally somber. Relena glanced back and forth between the two.  
  
"E.S.U.N was being attacked by what Preventer believed to be a small rogue organization. They turned out to be more. They go by the name Xousia." Heero didn't say any more.  
  
"Xousia," Relena rolled the unfamiliar name over. "Who's in charge of it?"  
  
This time Duo answered. "We don't really know. Course we assumed it was just another psycho malcontent with an axe to grind about the past."  
  
"It might be." Relena sounded defeated. "Does Preventer know about the attack?"  
  
"Probably." Duo's tone didn't invite anymore questions.  
  
Relena sat back in her seat, her mind flying back to her brother. What are you doing now Zechs? Please, wherever you are, be safe. Just be safe..  
  
***  
  
Zechs was far from feeling safe, that is if he stopped to think about what he was feeling. He had learned a long time ago not to let feelings interfere with what had to be done. His primary goal was to make sure his sister got away safely.  
  
The Xousia adherents had received a definite surprise when they ran around the corner into gunfire. Zechs and Jolene had given them no time to do anything. At first the Xousia enthusiasts had returned fire, but then their apparent leader had given an order. A couple dropped on the ground and began crawling forward as their team mates gave them cover fire.  
  
Zechs was somewhat puzzled at their tactics. But he alternated firing at the back ups and at the few crawling toward them. The crawler's stopped and pulling guns commenced firing. Strangely, their firearms made no noise, but Zechs did not have time to comprehend this before he felt a stinging sensation in his right shoulder. Looking down he saw only a tiny spot of blood slowly spreading on his uniform. Unaccountably he began to feel dizzy and lightheaded. Everything began to blur.  
  
"Wind! WIND! Are you okay?" Jolene whispered urgently.  
  
Zechs fumbled at his belt detaching something that he tossed toward the young agent. "Destroy communications." His words slurred slightly and he toppled over.  
  
Jolene scrambled to retrieve the communicator and keyed in the destruction code all the while casting anxious glances toward her superior.  
  
Their attackers wasted no time covering the short space in the hall to the office. Jolene looked up in time to receive a blow to the face. "Where's the Vice Foreign Minister?" Someone was yelling at her. She said nothing. The flurry of blows dazed her. She was pushed to the floor and roughly handcuffed. Vaguely she heard a woman's frightened voice speaking very fast and a rough command accompanied by running feet. Then she was hauled to her feet and dragged away.  
  
***  
  
"Here we are." Duo announced, cutting the engine. Relena looked around her, the group of buildings was familiar, she'd been in enough of them. One thing was wrong though. "A deserted shuttle port?" She asked half incredulously. "Yup. Best place for a shuttle to take off don't you think?" Duo's smile seemed a bit forced. Relena only nodded in reply.  
  
The shuttle was a small unmarked civilian craft. Most of the comforts Relena was used to were sadly lacking. But she said nothing, it wasn't important.  
  
After seeing her comfortably situated Heero exited the shuttle to have a private word with Duo. The American spoke quickly. "Xousia attacked Preventer Headquarters at about the same time they attacked E.S.U.N. Knowing their scorched earth policy Preventer would've had to move to Central Command." His tone was sober. "I'm going to check it out. See about Lady Une, Wufei.." His voice trailed off.  
  
"Fine." Heero sounded emotionless as always. "Just don't be driving that car around." He turned to go but paused. "Check and see if you can find out what happened to Zechs."  
  
Duo nodded a small grin stealing across his face as Heero disappeared inside the shuttle. Turning he trudged back to the car, pausing long enough to watch as the shuttle took off, gradually becoming a small pinpoint in the distance before disappearing totally. He started the engine and soon the port was as deserted as before.  
  
***  
  
Quatre Winner stared in sad disbelief at the single sheet of paper with only two lines written on it. He didn't stay that way for long. He wasn't really shocked anymore at what cruelty and pettiness the human being was capable of. Instead it saddened him that anyone would allow themselves to fall to such a level.  
  
He couldn't spend much time thinking it over, there was too much to do. He didn't fool himself into thinking he would be overlooked. Because of his high profile job as CEO of Winner Enterprises and his history as a Gundam Pilot he was a deadly opponent.  
  
For a moment he narrowed his eyes, a look coming over his face that didn't bode well for whoever had raised his indignation. Then he began to move swiftly. In half an hour Quatre Winner had disappeared from society. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or its characters. Any original characters belong to me except Royle Keith who is the property of Trevor_X1.  
Silent Night  
  
Part 2  
  
By Starlight  
  
The commanding officer of the small band of Xousia soldiers frowned as she watched them scurry around checking out the buildings of the shuttle port. She half expected it was as deserted as it seemed when they had arrived; still protocol had insisted that she search the surrounding area. The evidence of a recent shuttle lift off had told her all she needed to know. Unfortunately it wasn't what she had wanted to find.  
  
Slowly her command began straggling in by twos and threes. "Nothing," One stated in disgust. "They must've gotten clean away."  
  
"Probably in a civilian shuttle." The officer sighed. This wasn't going to be what her superiors wanted to hear. Not that making the report would be any fun for her either. It never was desirable reporting one's failures. She pulled her thoughts back to the present. "Any sign of the Camry?"  
  
"None Captain."  
  
"Very well. The driver must still be around here somewhere. Let's spread out and head back towards town and look for it." She had small hopes of finding that Camry, still it was the last thread to the missing Vice Foreign Minister. She waited until her soldiers had piled back into the vans and headed back toward town before following them.  
  
***  
  
Duo glanced around the bar in slight disgust; he'd been in better ones for sure. Still he'd had several hours to kill before he could check out E.S.U.N and Preventer and he didn't really feel like walking the streets.  
  
A small group of people were gathered around the single television, staring at the news anchor talking about the attack on Preventer and E.S.U.N. Duo glanced away, even here he couldn't get away from. Suddenly his attention was jerked back to the small box.  
  
"..several Preventers were allegedly killed, including Milliardo Peacecraft, brother of the Vice Foreign Minister.."  
  
Duo abruptly rose from his chair and pushed his way out of the building. Outside he breathed deeply, feeling sick to his stomach. He had to know for sure. Dusk had settled like a shroud as he drove out of the parking lot heading toward E.S.U.N.  
  
Darkness had completely fallen by the time he snuck into the headquarters for the Earth Sphere United Nations. Cautiously he made his way up to Relena's office. If Zechs had stayed there to delay Xousia then perhaps the hidden security camera had picked up what happened. That is if it hadn't malfunctioned or been found.  
  
He was now in the hall way that led to Relena's office. Suddenly he paused, shining his penlight on the floor. Brownish red marked the carpeting. Kneeling down he ran his fingers over the stain. "Dried blood," he muttered. "Someone got hit bad."  
  
Maybe it was someone else. He followed the trail towards the office door; it stopped a few yards away. He moved into the outer office, carefully shading his light. Relena's personal office had a large window and he didn't want to advertise his presence. Making his way toward one corner Duo wasn't long in uncovering the small security camera hidden there. Securing the video he turned, his gaze roving over the room, following his penlight. It centered on a small black object half hidden under some empty file folders. Stooping he dragged it out from under the folders. It was a communicator, standard Preventer issue.  
  
"He obviously had enough time to key in the destruction code." Duo slipped the defunct communicator into his coat pocket. Shaking his head he retraced his steps and exited the building. He would skip Preventer Headquarters and head straight for Central Command.  
  
***  
  
Wufei was sitting in the café area staring at nothing in particular. Sally was resting in the medical bay. Frances had said she would be fine. Wufei had peeked in on her and found her sleeping, some color back in her face. Reassured he had gone to get something to eat. Weariness seemed to have infiltrated his very bones.  
  
A fairly young Preventer entered the café and walked towards where Wufei was sitting. "Chang Wufei?"  
  
The oriental man nodded.  
  
"You have a call on the private channel vidphone to CentCom."  
  
Wufei nodded again and made his way to the vidphone. The room was empty when he entered and he shut the door behind him. Half expecting to see Lady Une on the screen he was surprised by the face he encountered.  
  
"Hey Wufei," Duo grinned tiredly at his friend. "Glad to see you're all right."  
  
"You look terrible Maxwell."  
  
"Blunt as always." Duo flashed another grin that didn't reach his eyes. Then he seemed to visibly slump. "Got bad news, either they got Zechs or he's dead."  
  
"What?!" Wufei's eyes grew hard.  
  
"I heard on the television about his supposed death and headed back to E.S.U.N to get the security video from Relena's outer office. The footage is real bad, there's no sound and the picture is fuzzy and jumps. Watching it I couldn't really tell anything other then he did get shot. Some of the techs here are going to see if they can do something to clear the tape a bit." Duo paused and rubbed his forehead with his left hand. "Well, I got to go, I'm heading off earth in the morning." Another pause. " I'm really glad you're all right Wufei."  
  
"Get some sleep," Wufei's voice was gruff. He compressed his lips tightly as he closed the connection. He doubted Xousia knew what they were stirring when they attempted to start another war.  
  
***  
  
The company of Winner Enterprises was moving along at regular pace. The receptionist at the door looked up with a cheery smile to greet four uniformed men. "What can I do for you gentlemen?"  
  
"We're here to see Quatre Winner." The leader of the group spoke brusquely.  
  
The receptionist's smile faded and she sat back in her chair. "Just a moment please." She spoke into the telephone on her desk. In answer to her call a man in a dress suit appeared.  
  
"Victor, please escort these men to Royle Keith's office."  
  
"Of course." Victor motioned for the men to follow him. As they did they failed to see the receptionist again pick up her desk phone.  
  
Victor led them to an office and took his place slightly behind the young man at the desk. "I'm Royle Keith." The young man wasted no words. "What can I help you with?"  
  
The leader of the men was visibly irritated. "I said we want to see the owner of Winner Enterprises, Quatre Winner."  
  
Royle's friendliness faded. "It just so happens that I am the owner of Winner Enterprises. Mr. Winner sold me the business over six months ago." He looked piercingly at the group. "If you aren't here on official business I will have to ask you to leave. I'm a fairly busy man and I don't have time to waste. Victor, please escort these men from the premises."  
  
"Yes Mr. Keith."  
  
Before any of the men could protest they found themselves outside of Royle Keith's office. Several rather burly looking men had joined Victor and escorted them to their vehicles.  
  
In his office Royle watched as the rather disgruntled Xousia agents got in their cars and sped out of the parking lot. He shook his head with a smirk spreading over his face. Then he turned serious. Quatre had been right, but he hadn't expected this so soon. He turned to his desk. There were some calls he had to make.  
  
***  
  
Lady Une sat in her office in Central Command fingering Zechs communicator. Duo had left it there after viewing the security video. "CURSE it all." She finally spoke. "He can't be dead." Not Zechs Merquise, famed Lightening Baron, one of her oldest friends and companions.  
  
"I don't think he is." A quiet voice startled her and she looked up to see Noin standing in the doorway to her office. Her face showed signs of strain and pain was evident in her eyes but conviction rang in her voice.  
  
"How can you be sure?" Une didn't want to discredit Noin's statement but she needed any fragment of hope the other woman could hold out to her. Few ever saw her in this frame of mind. For most she was the strong leader never buckling under pressure. Only Sally, Noin, Zechs and a few others ever saw her more vulnerable side.  
  
Noin sat down beside her friend. "I will admit appearances are bad," her voice shook slightly. "But I have this feeling deep inside that tells me Zechs is alive. On a more professional level it would be stupid for Xousia to kill all the Preventer agents they run across. It would make more sense to capture them for any information they may be able to force out of them."  
  
Lady Une nodded, her leader's mentality again falling into place. "What did you need Noin? I doubt you just came here to express your feelings concerning our MIA's and possible POW's."  
  
Noin gave a slight smile. "Trowa Barton is here and wants to speak with us." She turned toward the door and motioned the silent young man into the room.  
  
Trowa shut the door quietly behind him and faced the two women. "I've been contacted by Heero and our man on L4."  
  
Une waited quietly for the pilot of Heavyarms Kai to finish in his own time. After a moment of silence Trowa continued. "Relena is now concealed in the colony safehouse. No problems with any trailers. Duo hasn't checked in yet, but nothing to worry about."  
  
"Good, what about our man on L4?" Une asked.  
  
"Xousia moved a little sooner then he had anticipated. He warns us to keep our eyes open because they're pretty smooth." Trowa crossed his arms when he finished and dropped his head slightly.  
  
"I bet they are, greedy conniving bastards." Noin muttered.  
  
"Quatre was right in all he transferred. I'll have to remember to thank him later." Lady Une murmured half to herself. Then she turned back to the two waiting for further comment or instruction from her. "Trowa, for the moment I'd like you to continue to work on finding out their main location and where they regrouped after attacking both headquarters and E.S.U.N the other day.."  
  
***  
  
The security around the Peacecraft mansion was formidable, but nothing that Duo couldn't handle with ease. He was well acquainted with the parameters of the system and moved through it without a hitch. He then made his way toward the house skulking through the bushes and various shrubberies. His plan was to contact Pagen, the elderly butler and foster grandfather for the two Peacecrafts and inform him that Relena was safe. At least that had been his plan until he had noticed the limo sitting conspicuously in the mansion's circle drive. Concealment had become utmost in his thoughts while curiosity in the visitor increased.  
  
Swiftly he made his way through the many intersecting walkways towards a small back entrance. The door was unlocked. Inside he walked swiftly through the large house. From the kitchen area he heard the sound of muted voices. Most of the staff must've been gathered talking as was their tradition when they were finished working or when Pagen wanted to make sure he had absolutely no eavesdroppers.  
  
Duo made his way toward where Pagen's office was. The door was cracked open slightly. Voices drifted out to where he stood.  
  
"I'm just concerned about her safety." A woman's voice was speaking. Duo wrinkled his forehead. That voice sounded so familiar.  
  
"No more then I am Ms. Catalonia. Unfortunately I have no idea where Ms. Peacecraft is. Even if I did I would not be allowed to divulge such sensitive information."  
  
Duo grinned to himself. One point for you Pagen.  
  
"But of course." Dorothy's voice was smooth, but Duo sensed her scrambling to cover her tracks. "As I said before I'm just concerned. Her disappearance has caused some anxiety."  
  
"I am well aware of that Ms. Catalonia. But I'm afraid I cannot be of anymore use to you. I am quite ignorant of Ms. Peacecraft's whereabouts."  
  
"Thank you for your time." Dorothy's tone was stiff.  
  
Duo had just enough time to slip into the room across the hall before Dorothy was escorted out of the room and towards the front door by the elderly butler.  
  
Duo had his mind made up in an instant as to his next course of action. It struck him as very peculiar that Dorothy Catalonia of all people should come to inquire about Relena. The two young woman were hardly more then speaking acquaintances, if even that. here must be something more Dorothy's after.  
  
He was in Pagen's office by that time. Hurriedly he grabbed a pen and jotted down two words on the pad of paper sitting handy on the desk.  
  
Then he was making his way out of the mansion. If he was quick enough he could figure out where she was going and follow her. The black limousine would make her quite easy to track.  
  
***  
  
Heero sat at the kitchen table busily typing away on his laptop, while at the same time keeping an eye on the food he was preparing for supper. Years alone had refined his culinary skills.  
  
Relena was upstairs in her room, claiming fatigue as an excuse to be alone. But he had seen the worry in her eyes and knew she was wondering about her brother. There was nothing he could say to calm her fears until Duo returned with the news. And who knew when that would be.  
  
That was just as well. He needed the quiet to concentrate. A noise at the outside door caused him to look up. Someone was out there. With a frown he shut his laptop and moved noiselessly across the kitchen floor, his gun held firmly in his hand. It was his job to protect the young former princess and he took his jobs very seriously.  
  
A key scraped in the lock. Heero had only a moment to decide before knob twisted. Quickly he stuck his foot in front of the opening door, stopping its inward swing. "Who's there?" He growled.  
  
"Take it easy Heero, it's only me." A firm voice answered.  
  
Heero removed his foot from the door and secreted his gun again as Quatre closed the door behind him and shrugged out of his coat. For being on a colony it was rather cold.  
  
The Arabian seated himself at the table with a sigh while Heero checked the food. It was about ready so he began pulling out plates and silverware. He ran a critical eye over his friend's features. Quatre looked worn. Pausing in his work he sat down across from him and waited.  
  
Quatre looked up at him. Slowly he pulled a disk out of his shirt pocket and slid it over to Heero. "That's all the remaining information I was able to gather before I had to run."  
  
Heero took the disk silently. "Xousia wasn't too pleased about your disappearance." He spoke blandly.  
  
"I'm not too surprised." Quatre straightened up in his chair.  
  
"Quatre?"  
  
Both young men turned toward the door separating the living room and kitchen. "Relena!" Quatre stood up and moved to give the young woman a hug. She squeezed him hard and he rubbed her back reassuringly. "Everything's going to be okay." He murmured.  
  
"Thanks Quatre." Relena stepped away from him. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Same thing you are." Quatre gave a weary laugh. "Hiding from Xousia."  
  
Relena turned her head away. "Isn't that the story of our life?" She muttered. "I'm always hiding, or running, or fighting. And frankly, I'm getting a little tired of it all."  
  
"Relena.." Heero turned from the counter and eyed her. She felt uncomfortable and avoided his gaze, fixing her eyes on the floor while she traced the pattern of the linoleum with her foot.  
  
A hand rested firmly on her shoulder. "Sit down and eat Relena." Quatre spoke gently.  
  
"I'm sorry." She apologized. "I'm just.. worried.."  
  
Quatre met Heero's gaze and arched one eyebrow. Heero shook his head slightly. Relena slid into a chair having missed this little byplay. She rested her chin on her folded hands and stared ahead, thinking.  
  
Her two companions had seated themselves before she spoke. "What are they really after? It's almost like this was a personal venture coming after me and you," She indicated Quatre with a wave of the hand. "But then, why the attack on E.S.U.N? If it's not a personal venture why come after me? The Vice Foreign Ministerialship isn't the most dangerous job to a rebelling faction. All I do is settle disputes between the colonies and Earth." She stopped abruptly.  
  
They ate in silence. After the meal was finished and the table cleared Relena disappeared to her room again. "She's worried about Zechs." Heero ran a hand through his hair. "Duo's checking to see what happened to him. When he'll check in is anybody's guess."  
  
Quatre chuckled slightly. "He'll find out though. Be assured of that."  
  
***  
  
Zechs woke up in a small dimly lit room. His head throbbed and his right shoulder was stiff. He explored the offending shoulder with his left hand, feeling the outline of the bandage under his shirt. Cautiously he stretched, but other then the headache nothing else hurt. "What I wouldn't give for a cup of coffee and a couple of aspirin." He muttered to himself. His mind didn't dwell on it long. What was the use of wishing for something he wasn't likely to get, in wherever he was.  
  
His first guess would be Xousia. They hadn't tried to kill him; instead they had shot him with some kind of drug, potent enough to knock him out for who knows how long. And it had given him a terrible headache. Tenderly he massaged his temples while examining the room.  
  
It was about a five by four foot cube; simply furnished with the cot-like bed he'd been lying on. Nothing else of importance revealed itself save the very formidable door blocking his exit to freedom. With a sigh he lay back down on the cot.  
  
Whatever Xousia wanted they wouldn't get it from him. He was almost totally convinced that the faction held him hostage. They would never find out where his sister was hidden. He didn't even know that information. He heaved a long sigh. Nothing was left for him to do now but wait. Whoever it was would come eventually.  
  
They came sooner then he had expected. A slight, pretty looking woman and a rather tall man who watched him carefully. The woman held a cup and a few tablets in her hand that she offered to Zechs.  
  
He took the tablets, examining them in the feeble light. "What are they?" he asked warily.  
  
"Something to help your head." The woman responded. "I expect it's pounding."  
  
Zechs sincerely wished he could refuse the pills, but one look at the woman's escort silenced any refusal he might have made. Zechs was no weakling; he just knew when it was wise not to push any issues. Right now getting hurt would hardly improve his chances of perhaps getting out of this place. With a prayer to heaven that he wasn't getting drugged even more he dropped the tablets in his mouth and drank the water the woman handed him, grimacing as he swallowed.  
  
Silently Zechs handed the glass back to the woman, appraising her with cold blue eyes. She met his gaze firmly and turned to go. At the doorway she paused, peering around the man who still stood eyes on the Lighting Baron. "You will be interviewed tomorrow. I would suggest you get some rest." With that she disappeared beyond the doorway and was soon followed by the man, the door shutting firmly on his departing figure.  
  
Zechs lay back down, more confused then ever. What had that been all about? They'd treated him more like a reluctant recruit then a prisoner. It raised his guard and his suspicions. Anything could happen now; he had to be fully alert. Still, sleep sounded good; he closed his eyes and drifted off. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or their characters.  
Silent Night  
  
Part 3  
  
By Starlight  
  
Dorothy Catalonia pulled the last hair pin out of her hair allowing the blond mass to cascade down her back. With an inward sigh of relief she ran her fingers through the tresses, gently tugging out snarls. Though she stared at her reflection her thoughts were far away.  
  
It was unfortunate that she had been unable to wheedle any information out of that butler of Peacecraft's. Still, it was only a temporary setback. She had made ample provision for this eventuality. Even at this moment her people should be following Relena to her last known stopping place. The tracer concealed in the young politician's purse would give the general area. Next would come the more intricate search as her agents worked in a rapidly shrinking circle.  
  
A gentle knock sounded on the bedroom door. Dorothy called a careless invitation and the door swung open. A tall, handsome man entered carrying a tray with champagne and two glasses.  
  
"I thought you might care to celebrate."  
  
"Why ever not?" Dorothy responded with a flippant smile, accepting the glass handed to her. Raising it up she offered a toast. "To genius, may it never end."  
  
"To you Miss Dorothy," Her companion countered, also lifting his glass. "And the continuing success of your plans."  
  
Dorothy chuckled as she carefully placed her glass on the table beside her. "You are such a darling William. Yes, everything goes according to plan. May it continue to."  
  
***  
  
"Wufei, nice to see you."  
  
The young man ran a critical eye over his partner's features. "You're still pale, how are you feeling?"  
  
"The idiots who run this place won't let me out of bed."  
  
Wufei hid a smile at the childish tone in her voice. "If you weren't the patient you'd agree with them." He spoke calmly.  
  
"I know, I know. But that doesn't help any." Sally growled and then winced as a spasm of pain shot through her side.  
  
Wufei frowned. "You aren't taking the painkillers."  
  
"As little as I can get by with. There's no way I'm letting you come visit me while I'm woozy and totally out of it."  
  
Wufei smirked. "You're not supposed to push it. Lady Une wants you in one piece with no relapses."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Sally grimaced. "She came by and told me so. Why else do you think I'm handling this as well as I am."  
  
"I hadn't noticed." Wufei couldn't resist baiting his partner.  
  
Sally muttered something under her breath, but a smile played around the corners of her lips. "Alright, tell me what's really been going on."  
  
***  
  
"Nothing." Duo flopped back onto the bed in the motel room. Wearily he sighed. He'd trailed Dorothy, watching her with all the finesse of someone used to spying. The blond had been the picture of perfection. In all her travels, meetings and pleasure jaunts Dorothy Catalonia had done nothing improper. He was beginning to think that his hunch had been wrong.  
  
Except for.... Duo sat up suddenly. "What about her communications?" He hit his forehead. "I haven't had any access to her phone conversations, personal e-mail or other private connections. Stupid, stupid, stupid." There still might be a way to tie her into Xousia.  
  
Pushing off the bed he grinned wolfishly. This was one knot he would untie, no matter how tightly drawn it was.  
  
***  
  
Zechs looked around the room where he had been left. Other then the chair he was sitting on the only other distinguishing feature was a vid phone. Or something that resembled a vid phone anyway. Crossing his arms he leaned against the back of his chair. His senses hadn't allowed him to relax his guard yet. Closing his eyes halfway he frowned. His escort hadn't spoken one word to him before leaving him there alone. If his captors wanted to play a waiting game then he would wait.  
  
Moments passed before the screen to the vid phone flickered to life. Out of the corner of his eye Zechs caught a glimpse of the head and shoulders of a person.  
  
Slowly he turned his head, trying not to appear overly anxious about who was on the other end of the line. Suddenly he caught more then a glimpse and his attention was riveted to the screen. He strained to maintain a semblance of outward composure while inside he teemed with questions and shock.  
  
"Hello Zechs, it's been a long time hasn't it? I have a proposition for you and I'm hoping you will agree."  
  
Numbly Zechs sat there as the voice continued. When the person paused his mouth dropped open slightly and then closed again. He could find nothing to say.  
  
***  
  
Quatre sat cross-legged on his bed waiting as his laptop booted up. Though he was no longer the official head of his family's business and supposedly in hiding he still had correspondence and information he couldn't just leave hanging out in cyberspace.  
  
His fingers tapped rhythmically on the keyboard as he connected online and began checking his messages. Suddenly he stiffened and his right hand slowly clenched into a fist. Jaw tightening a look of fury came into his eyes and just as quickly melted away as he came to the end of a message.  
  
Pushing the computer away he slumped, head bowed. This was an unexpected turn of events. He felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He had a decision to make and only seventy-two hours in which to make it.  
  
***  
  
The hour was late but Heero still sat at the kitchen table, ostensibly busy working. In reality he was waiting for an overdue comrade. Duo still hadn't appeared or made any contact whatsoever and though he never would have admitted it Heero was worried.  
  
A slight sound brought Heero's head up with a jerk. Quatre stood in the doorway to the living room. His hair was a rumpled mess, his face tight with anxiety.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm going to have to leave." Quatre responded. "Xousia kidnapped my sister Ariel and is holding her until I turn myself in."  
  
Heero closed the lid of his laptop with a click. "No." He spoke curtly. "There's too much at risk if you go. We can't jeopardize the safehouse and Relena. Besides, you don't know that Xousia will release your sister even if you do give yourself up. They'll probably still keep her hostage, she'll be a liability."  
  
"I know what they'll do to her if I don't give myself up." Quatre ran a hand through his hair and then smoothed it down. "I won't leave a trail and I won't give you away, but I have to go."  
  
"You can't." Heero had risen to his feet and the two stood facing each other. "You can't." He repeated with a growl.  
  
"Short of killing me, there's no way you can keep me here while Xousia has my sister." Quatre flared.  
  
Heero turned and stalked away a few steps. "Fine."  
  
Quatre followed his friend and laid a hand on Heero's shoulder, feeling his muscles tense at the contact. "I will be back." He pushed more confidence into his tone then he was feeling. Then he was gone, the kitchen door closing quietly behind him.  
  
Heero turned away, slamming a fist into the countertop. They're taking us out one at a time, clever.  
  
Scooping up his computer Heero left the kitchen, flicking out the light. It just might be time to take the play down to Xousia's end zone.  
  
***  
  
Dorothy leaned over the back of the chair staring at the screen where a picture of Colony 14 slowly rotated. "How is our search going?"  
  
"Very well Ms. Catalonia." The man replied. "We traced them all the way to the colony." His fingers flew over the keys as he spoke, enlarging the view, flying through layers and then bringing up a map of the interior. He pointed to where a red dot blinked, expanding in a widening circle then disappearing only to repeat the cycle again and again. "This is the area where the signal cut off. But we've got a batch of agents all ready on the colony. It was easy to sneak 'em in since they do a lot of asteroid mining around there."  
  
Again he tapped on the keyboard expanding the area where the dot blinked. "Right now our agents are working in a shrinking parameter here." His finger circled an area on the screen. "It shouldn't be long before your bird is caught."  
  
"Good, very good." Dorothy gloated. "But remember, I want nothing done that will lower public opinion."  
  
"Of course not Ms. Catalonia. The people will all but cheer the eradicating of a terrorist cell."  
  
***  
  
Drip. Drip. Drip.  
  
The sound was a monotonous cadence becoming sharper and sharper as it fell on the ears of the only listener. It was as eternal as the blackness surrounding and filling the room.  
  
Jolene lay in an unmoving heap where she had been thrown. Any attempt to move had only exacerbated the pain in her body so she had given up the effort.  
  
Bruised and battered she had nevertheless survived several interrogation sessions by her Xousia captors. Her mind felt as battered as her body though and as she lay in her cell she found herself falling into a dreamy almost hypnotic state. Seeing nothing, hearing nothing save for that eternal drip of water.  
  
Something wet slid slowly down her face and lips, tickling as it went. She stuck out her tongue and caught the droplet before it reached the ground. It tasted salty and metallic.  
  
Slowly she inched her hand up to her face, gingerly touching and exploring with her fingers. One eye was nearly swollen shut. Her nose throbbed. A myriad of bruises adorned the rest of her features. Her hand fell to the ground and she again stared out into the blackness. Slowly her thoughts began to take on the rhythmic sound of the drops. Can't.... tell.... Won't.... tell.... Drop. Drop. Drop. Drop. Drop.  
  
***  
  
He had done it. The coolness of the metal felt foreign to senses freed from its touch for so long. A portion of his soul rejoiced at being expressed yet another part of his soul warred against it protesting loudly. He groaned inwardly as the battle continued to rage inside of his head.  
  
What would his friends say when they learned? They were the reason he had consented to again don his mask. But are they the only reason? His mind taunted. Was it really just for them? Admit it, you only.... NO! Zechs peremptorily silenced the voice in his head as he adjusted the mask on his face yet again. Whatever his underlying reason for consenting he had done the deed and would live with it. Let the future take care of itself.  
  
Standing, he faced the door as it slid open. "Come along Mr. Merquise." The man's voice held a slight taunting note that Zechs chose to ignore. The sudden reversal of his situation upon donning the mask caused him to wonder if there wasn't some sort of transmitter or tracking device embedding in it.  
  
He determined to examine the mask more carefully when he had leisure time or perhaps create a replica. He didn't like the idea of being monitored everywhere he went.  
  
Silently he followed his guide onto a lift which the man opened by pressing his thumb to a scanner. "Print accepted." A computerized female voice announced. "You may enter."  
  
After ascending a few seconds the lift stopped and doors opened on a well lit corridor. After walking down the hall and turning down several different passages Zechs guide halted in front of a door. "These are your quarters." He spoke roughly. "Another officer will escort you to be scanned into the computers and given security clearance."  
  
Zechs entered his room. Obviously not everyone believed that just because he put on the mask that he was loyal beyond a shadow of doubt. It would take time to earn trust with everyone. Time he wasn't sure he had.  
  
***  
  
Pulling his coat collar more snuggly around his ears Quatre shivered slightly. Fifteen minutes had passed since he had paid the taxi driver and watched the beat up cab pull away and still there wasn't a sign of the car that was supposed to meet him.  
  
He glanced around. The area was perfect for a clandestine rendezvous, deserted except for a stray alley cat that watched him warily from behind a pile of junk. Quatre leaned against the wall and eyed the cat back. "Two of a kind aren't we old man." He murmured. "Both of us here and neither of us trusting anybody."  
  
The cat abruptly disappeared as the sound of shuffling footsteps caught Quatre's attention. Turning his head he watched as an old drunk stumbled his way towards him. Tensing he waited until the old man came up to him wincing slightly at the sour odor emanating from the man's body.  
  
"Got somethin' fer you." The man handed over a soiled piece of paper. "Gent gave it to me fer you."  
  
"Thank you." The blond Arabian replied and watched as the old man stumbled off before opening the paper. It contained only two words. "Follow me."  
  
The supposed drunk glanced back to see Quatre following him and immediately quickened his stride to the point that Quatre had to just about run to keep him in sight. After several twists and turns Quatre lost sight of his guide. Hurrying around the corner he slid to a halt. There sat a car, engine idling, back door open. Without hesitating Quatre walked over and slid into the backseat. The door slammed shut behind him.  
  
"Welcome Mr. Winner." A cool voice spoke. "We are looking forward to your company very much." A needle jabbed his arm. Quatre grimaced. "What about my sister...." He began.  
  
"Relax Mr. Winner. You'll find out soon enough." The voice responded.  
  
Quatre started to protest but found his vision blurring and his thoughts wouldn't orient themselves like he wanted them to. Blackness covered everything and he knew no more.  
  
***  
  
Duo growled unintelligibly at the computer screen. So far none of his attempts at hacking had gotten him past the security measures that protected Dorothy Catalonia's e-mail. Swearing softly he disconnected and slumped back in his chair. Even with all the pussy-footing around he'd been doing he had nearly set off several alarms. Got a car or machine to fiddle with then I'm your man. But this hacking business really isn't up my alley.  
  
Standing up he stretched, easing sore muscles. "There's gotta be somebody better at this somewhere." He muttered half jokingly to himself.  
  
Suddenly he froze in place. "Duo you idiot, of course! Somebody better! I'll bet Heero could hack through that firewall as easy as slicing through whipped cream." Chuckling wryly he turned to sit down and then froze again as another thought struck him. "I haven't contacted anybody for a while. Dumb, stupid, idiotic thing to do Maxwell." He started stuffing items into the small duffel bag he was using. It was time for him to talk to Heero, and he needed to do that face to face. "He'll probably blow your stupid head off for this stunt. Baka." Duo continued to scold himself for his forgetfulness.  
  
Five minutes later he was shrugging on his coat, making sure his braid was tucked securely underneath, and pulling on a stocking cap. Shouldering his duffel bag he sighed deeply. It was time to head for the colony safehouse. 


	4. Chapter 4

Silent Night  
  
Part 4  
  
By Starlight_x1  
  
The message had been short and to the point. "Quatre has surrendered to Xousia. They have his sister. Duo hasn't checked in. Don't know where he is."  
  
Lady Une let her eyes roam over the small group assembled in her office. Sally, just released from the halfway house, was lying on a small cot. She had grumbled somewhat at the 'coddling' but not too long or too loud.  
  
Noin was seated by her friend's side and both seemed to wear the same tight weary expression, though for different reasons.  
  
Wufei had chosen to remain standing and leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. Trowa was conspicuously absent. Une had exempted him from the meeting having spoken privately with him earlier.  
  
"I don't like it." Sally spoke bluntly. "There's something Heero isn't telling us."  
  
"Heero never tells everything he knows." Noin responded gently. She ran slender fingers through her short hair before dropping her hand onto her lap. "It's just the way he is."  
  
"Regardless, I don't like it. My gut tells me Xousia's gonna keep on looking for Relena and they'll probably find her. We should bring her to Central Command." Sally had pushed herself up on her elbows as she spoke and now lay down again with a grimace.  
  
"Lieutenant Po is right. Xousia is quite tricky. They have public opinion wrapped around their little finger." Bryan Thomas, the last member of the group spoke from the corner where he had seated himself. "Most everybody thinks they're great. Spokespersons for Xousia have been portraying the faction as the group that stopped the 'terrorist' attacks on E.S.U.N and Preventer. The media's been reporting that as well. Some of the politicians even believe it."  
  
"So they can do what they like, chalk it up to terrorist activity and the general public won't be the wiser. Damn." Sally gritted her teeth in disgust.  
  
"For now we'd better leave public opinion alone. Unfortunately they've won the first round there. It'll take too much of our resources to counter all the lies they're spreading and its not worth the trouble. Better if we plan our battle action. They seem to be concentrating on 'divide and conquer'. Already they have two of our most crucial players." Noin spoke regretfully.  
  
"Possibly three with Maxwell missing. But with him you can't ever tell." Wufei said dryly.  
  
"True." A smile crossed Lady Une's face. "Wufei, I want you to try and locate Duo. Whatever his status we need to know and if he is free we need him here."  
  
Wufei nodded curtly and Lady Une continued. "Heero mentioned that Dorothy Catalonia was involved with Xousia."  
  
"Why am I not surprised." Noin muttered.  
  
Une ignored the remark. "She isn't the leader behind the movement though."  
  
"Not enough charisma." Sally snorted. "That ice princess couldn't motivate anyone to do anything. Wish I knew who was behind it though."  
  
Wufei's gaze centered on his partner and his eyes widened for an instant. The next moment his features closed, shutting off any emotion that had been visible.  
  
"What is it Wufei?" Sally asked, mindful of his changing moods. Wufei shook his head in reply, but his mind raced at the name that had appeared there. Was it possible? No. It was so like but. Abruptly he put it from his thoughts. Now was not time to think on possibilities and maybes. He brought his attention back to the meeting at hand.  
  
***  
  
The house seemed overly quiet. Relena lay on her bed with her head cradled by her right arm, thinking. Since Quatre left Heero had become more reclusive; spending more time tucked away with his computer. If or when he slept or ate she had no clue. She knew the food in the refrigerator was nearly gone, but Heero had given her strict instructions not to leave the house.  
  
Her mind wandered from her current situation to wondering about her brother and Quatre. She had been awake when Quatre left and had heard all that had gone on between both the former Gundam pilots. Gradually she grew drowsy and fell asleep.  
  
The next thing she knew someone was jerking her upright, shaking her. "Relena, wake up." Forcing open her eyes she stared straight into Heero's penetrating gaze. "Wh-what's going on?" She muttered.  
  
"Wake up." He commanded, releasing his grip on her upper arms, forcing her to keep herself upright. Relena rubbed her eyes with one hand and stared, bewildered, as Heero pushed shoes on her feet and then picked up a coat. Awake enough to realize something was wrong Relena obediently slid her arms into the coat and stood up.  
  
Immediately Heero grabbed her arm and began to pull her down the stairs. Relena gasped as she stumbled over her untied shoelaces. Heero shifted his grip, half carrying her while she regained her balance.  
  
They reached the main floor. Relena expected to stop but Heero only paused long enough to fling the door to the basemen open before he again hurried her down another flight of stairs. When they reached the bottom of the steps Heero released his grip on Relena. She took the opportunity to bend down and tie her dragging laces.  
  
BANG. The slightly muffled sound came from up the stairway and was repeated. Startled Relena looked up. "Heero!" Her eyes sought his anxiously.  
  
"Get in." He ordered and she noticed the crawl space open in the wall. For a moment she hesitated but the repeated poundings from upstairs urged her on. Dropping on all fours she crawled into the blackness. "Follow the tunnel all the way to the end, but move quickly." Heero's whispered instructions carried urgency in their tone.  
  
Obediently she scurried forward. Muffled sounds drifted after her followed by a sharp 'clink'. The faint light that had faintly illuminated the tunnel entrance disappeared.  
  
Relena paused a moment and choked back the tears that threatened to spill over. "Come on Relena, you're not a baby, keep moving." She finally muttered and crawled resolutely ahead. Her journey came to an abrupt halt as she bashed her head against a wall. Exploring with her hands she discovered that the tunnel took a sharp right turn. Adjusting her course she continued on her way.  
  
***  
  
"We have a report ma'am."  
  
Dorothy looked up and beckoned impatiently. "Well speak then."  
  
The young officer shifted uncomfortably. "Our team broke into the safe house all right but we were unable to locate the Vice Foreign Minister."  
  
"What?!" Dorothy half rose from her chair, her eyes narrowing into deadly slits. After a moment she sat back down. "What else?"  
  
"Um, they did find her purse with the tracer still intact. They also managed to capture another person, one of the Gundam pilots I believe." He looked at her hopefully.  
  
Dorothy frowned. "Incompetents." She turned her attention back to the messenger and pointed one long white finger at him. "Tell them to search that place from top to bottom and find whatever hole Relena Peacecraft slithered out. I want her found." Her finger jabbed forward for emphasis and the man winced as if it were a red, hot poker. "They are to take every precaution with their prisoner. Have a couple of them transport him here while the rest search for the Vice Foreign Minster. She can't be very far. Dismissed." Impatience laced her tone.  
  
After the man had left she drummed her fingers on her desk. She had never been able to forgive them. Quatre and Relena, the two she hadn't conquered. The only two people who had engaged in a battle of wills with her and won. Out of that had sprung a feeling bordering on hatred. She had never been able to forget...  
  
Relena, in that she had a purity of purpose about her. She had truly believed pacifism the best way for the world to achieve lasting peace. Whenever Dorothy was around her she felt the distance between their two goals. Relena was giving, while she was selfishly taking for herself.  
  
Quatre she had never been able to understand. Anger welled up in her, mixed keenly with regret as she remembered that fencing match. Even the sense of victory when she stabbed him in the side had been overrun by the confusion she felt at the look of compassion and pity in his eyes as he stared at her. She never could stand pity from anyone. She was strong and self reliant. Since that moment she never could be around Quatre without feeling petty and weak. From that had come a thirst for revenge. She would show them she wasn't one to be trifled with.  
  
***  
  
Awareness came slowly. With effort Quatre strove to open his eyes. He accomplished it only to shut them again as the room spun dizzily around him. After a moments time he tried again and found that the spinning had stopped. Slowly he pushed himself up into a sitting position closing his eyes and resting when the annoying dizziness tried to take him again.  
  
"Awake now are we, Mr. Winner."  
  
Startled by the unexpected voice, Quatre's eyes flew open and his head jerked to the side to where Dorothy Catalonia sat watching him.  
  
For a moment the two stared at each other. Quatre, still a bit woozy, rubbed his hands over his face. "Dorothy, I should've known."  
  
She continued smiling a superior smile, thoroughly enjoying his confusion. "It's a good thing you didn't then isn't it Mr. Winner?"  
  
Quatre made no reply, concentrating instead on bringing all his faculties back under control. Again he raised his head staring at Dorothy, this time all traces of confusion had disappeared. "Where is my sister?" The ice was evident in his tone.  
  
Dorothy broke eye contact first, finding herself momentarily flustered by his straightforward stare. Quatre still had the ability to cow her with his aquamarine gaze. She folded her hands tightly, silently reminding herself of her superior role. She looked up.  
  
"Your sister is in capable hands Mr. Winner. Her needs are well supplied and she is well treated."  
  
"I want to see my sister." Quatre stood up, planting his feet firmly while glaring at her.  
  
Dorothy felt the urge to laugh hysterically welling up inside. Swallowing hard she continued to smile condescendingly, not even looking up at him. "I suppose you'll just have to wait then."  
  
***  
  
He'd seen it all many times before, still Duo found his attention riveted out the window to his right watching the trillions of stars pass. His hand tightened involuntarily on the arm of the seat. It was pure luck that he had spotted this Sweeper transport getting ready to leave. To be quite honest the transport looked hardly better then the space trash it was hauling. Still it was the most convenient and inconspicuous means he knew to get his companion and himself off the colony.  
  
Duo's gaze wandered to the person slumped in the seat to his left. Relena had been sleeping most of the trip, her breathing rhythmic, her face relaxed. A ghost of a smile flickered across his face. This young woman was a change from the impeccably dressed and neat Relena Darlian he knew. Maybe it had something to do with the dirt smeared on her face and clothes. Maybe it had to do with the coat she wore....  
  
Heero's coat.  
  
Heero.  
  
Duo bowed his head and slumped in his seat. The safe house had been raided. He hadn't been able to get close to the street because of the Xousia agents swarming the place. Out of hope and desperation he'd gone to the shed where the escape tunnel came out and found Relena. There'd been no time to think or talk, he'd hit the colony running and had been running ever since.  
  
Until now....  
  
Duo slowly clenched a fist. Xousia. The gods help them now because Shinigami was back.  
  
***  
  
Sorry this was such a short chapter. I'll try to make the next chapter longer. Anyway read and tell me what you think. I love reviews! 


	5. Chapter 5

Silent Night   
Part 5   
By: Starlight_x1   
  


A solitary figure among many. That was how he felt. It was rather strange taking a mission without his partner. Wufei shrugged deeper into his coat. His jeans were stiff with cold that he otherwise ignored. 

A rather small colony which lacked excitement, 14 was still buzzing over the raid on the 'terrorist' hideout. Wufei had heard lots of speculation and conjecture regarding the safe house. Ultimately no one really knew what had happened, who was there, or anything that he really needed to know. 

The young man stopped and leaned against a store front, ignoring the pedestrians who swarmed around him. The only way he could make sure of anything would be to see the safe house for himself. Of course that was next to impossible. Xousia was certain to have left someone keeping surveillance on the place. He could go to the shed where the escape tunnel ended.... 

Not really having any other option left he pushed off the wall and slowly merged back into the crowds on the sidewalk. 

The solitary dragon.... 

He didn't like being alone. He missed Sally. It was always easier having someone to talk with and bounce ideas and plans, back and forth. Especially if that someone was as intelligent ....and pretty.... as Sally was. Also he was doing a heap more thinking then he really wanted to. The idea that had gripped him during the briefing by Lady Une was still there. 

Wufei frowned and mentally chastised himself. He had to concentrate on his assignment. He had to find Maxwell. 

*** 

The computer beeped once before displaying several different files. Zechs sat back in his chair eyeing the monitor. Absently he rubbed his chin with his left hand while intermittently tapping a key with his right. 

The door to the room slid open and rather handsome young man stepped through, coming immediately to attention when he saw Zechs. "Major Eric Raskins reporting as ordered sir." 

Somewhat puzzled Zechs looked over the young man, noting the clean cut lines of his figure and the apparent openness on his face He cocked his head slightly to the side. "Reporting as ordered?" Only a slight inflection at the end of his statement phrased it as a question. 

"I'm your assistant sir. I'm supposed to help you get acquainted with our facilities and anything else you might want to know about." Eric nodded toward the computer console. "Something I can help you find Colonel?" 

"No need Major." Zechs tapped a final key closing down the files he had been looking at before standing and stretching leisurely. "I was just getting acquainted with how the system runs." 

He walked out of the room overly aware that the young major had followed him. At a respectful distance of course, but he obviously wasn't letting Zechs out of his sight. So this was how they were going to keep an eye on him. It was worse then having a transmitter in his mask. Zechs sighed, best to roll with the punches right now. He wouldn't do anybody any good by fussing about what was an obvious sign of his seniority in this twisted nightmare he'd been sucked into. 

Glancing over his shoulder he saw that Major Raskins was still several feet behind him. "You're not doing any good back there Major." 

The comment obviously startled the young man. "S-sir?" 

"Walking behind me like that. You're not my slave, or did I miss something back in the other room?" 

"Of course not sir. I'm sorry sir." Eric hastened his stride and managed to catch up to Zechs. 

"Sorry? What do you have to be sorry about Major?" 

Eric thought he caught a trace of amusement in the Colonel's tone, but couldn't be sure. "Um, I don't know. I'm sor...." His voice trailed off as he realized he was apologizing again. He pressed his lips together, hoping not to make a bigger fool out of himself then he already had. 

Zechs had already figured out that Eric Raskins was nervous. This presented another angle to work from if it wasn't a trick. Loyalty was something he sorely needed from somebody in this hellhole and Raskins just might be the one he could use. "Think you could find me a layout of this place Major? I'm getting a little tired of bumbling around." 

"Sir! Yes Sir!" 

Zechs sensed the relief in Eric's tone and smirked slightly before following him down the hall. 

*** 

She was back in the shed. It was dark and cold. Relena hugged herself as she huddled in the corner. Suddenly the door opened and a figure stood silhouetted in the doorway. She shrank back farther into the shadows while straining her eyes, trying to make out the person's features. 

In the dim light she was able to make out the familiar face and form of Duo Maxwell. "Duo!" She half whispered urgently. He wasn't getting away if she could help it. Maybe he was in the same situation as she was but he was a person to be trusted and Relena was desperate. 

Duo swung around toward the direction the frantic call had come, instinctively finding himself in a defensive position, hands ready for fighting whoever or whatever was there. 

Relena pushed back the hood sheltering her face and stepped out of the shadows. "Lena!" In two steps Duo was in front of her, his hands gripping her upper arms. "What happened?" he demanded shaking her roughly. He was shaking her, shaking her.... "Relena. Relena!" 

Suddenly Relena came awake. She was sitting in a vehicle and Duo was jostling her shoulders. "Come on wake up Relena, we're here." She straightened from her slumped position. In the dim light he could see her face looked pale, her eyes large and frightened. "What's the matter?" he began. "Never mind." He interrupted himself noting her jaw starting to tremble from cold. 

Relena followed Duo as he forged ahead into the darkness, noting the haphazard display of trash piled here and there. "It's a junk yard." She commented. 

"Yeah, that old heap won't be noticed." Duo jerked his thumb back to where they had left the truck. "Come on, it's not much farther." In minutes he was pausing at the back door of a darkened house. Relena looked around curiously while Duo opened the door with an impatient shove. She followed him inside noticing gratefully how warm it was compared to the outside. 

Once inside with the door safely shut behind them Duo turned on Relena. "Now, tell me what happened." 

Relena groped her way to a chair in the dim lighting and sat down wearily. Slowly she pushed her hood back as she recounted what had happened. When she finished Duo stood with his head down and his arms crossed, leaning against a counter. "Man oh man." He finally muttered. "What in the world are we going to do?" Despondency laced his tone. 

"Hah! Caught you in the act!" A voice rang out, while at the same time the light was flipped on. 

Relena let out a shriek while covering her watering eyes from the offensive light. Duo had swung around as startled as she to glare at the grinning female in the doorway. "Hilde…" He began but was stopped by a warning forefinger. 

"Hush, Duo, not so loud. Daddy's asleep." Hilde's gaze turned toward Relena who had brought her hands away from her face though she still squinted slightly. "You look familiar." She murmured. 

Duo rolled his eyes slightly though his voice was obviously affectionate when he answered. "You ought to know her, think about it for second." 

Hilde drew in a startled breath. "Relena Dorlian! I didn't recognize you at first." 

Duo glanced at Relena for a moment before again falling into a contemplative mood. He glared absently at the floor and chewed on his lower lip. 

Hilde looked questioningly at him for a moment before turning back to Relena. "You must be exhausted. Come on, I think I can find you some fresh clothes and someplace you can sleep." 

Relena nodded her thanks and started to follow Hilde but at the door to the kitchen she stopped and looked back at Duo. After hesitating several seconds she continued following her guide. 

*** 

Heero cautiously opened his eyes. For several hours he'd been effectively playing dead not wanting to tip his captors off to the fact that the drug they had used just didn't work on him. The guard who was supposedly keeping an eye on him had dozed off again and was mumbling. Heero smirked. If he wanted to escape it would be just too easy. Fortunately for them he didn't want to, at least not yet. 

Looking around he could see that they were in the main passenger area. Many of the seats had been removed or replaced. But he couldn't tell much else from where he was lying. He had to get a better view of the layout of the shuttle and there was one sure fire way he knew of to do that. 

He began to thrash a little, opening his eyes slightly and groaning. It had the effect of an electric shock on his guard who came fully awake with a start. "Hey, I think he's coming out of it!" 

"Good for him." 

The man guarding him didn't seem to notice the lack of enthusiasm from his team mate and bent over Heero, studying him intently. 

Heero inwardly gagged, didn't this guy ever think about using breath mints? He turned his head to the side to avoid the full impact of his breath. 

"I have to use the restroom." He finally croaked out. 

"Ah man," The guard sat back and frowned. "Guess it won't hurt nothing." Standing up he pulled Heero to his feet and steadied him. Heero played along, letting his head loll slightly and stumbling as he walked ahead of his guard. The man stopped and held onto him with one hand while he opened a door with the other. "In here. Need any help?" 

"No." Heero shuffled in and heard the door click shut behind him. Glancing about he gratefully noted the absence of any security cameras. The layout of the shuttle was standard but what had most interested him was the small pile of his personal belongings that were sitting on one of the few remaining seats. 

A pounding on the door interrupted his thinking. "Hurry up or I'm coming in there." 

Heero rolled his eyes but turned after tucking his shirt slightly and fumbled at the door latch. He heard it click open and let himself half fall onto the guard. "Man, you really are out of it aren't you?" The man grumbled. 

Heero waited until they were nearly opposite the seat that held his stuff before catching his right foot on his left leg, sending both him and his startled guard to the ground. There he began a struggle to get up, thrashing about while the man alternated between cursing him and yelling at someone to hurry up with the syringe. 

Heero continued his act managing to scatter his belongings and palm what appeared to be a pager before another guard joined the first. 

"Come on, hold him still." 

"I can't. Just jab him somewhere." 

"He keeps moving like that I'll probably break the needle. Come on, hold him still." 

His original guard finally managed to sit on top of him long enough for the second guard to jab his arm with the syringe. Heero winced and obligingly went limp. 

"What'd you do? Give him another full dose?" 

A pair of fingers pressed roughly against his neck. "He's fine. Get off of him and I'll help you carry him to his seat." 

There was a shuffle and then Heero felt himself lifted by his shoulders and legs and carried back to his seat where he was dumped. Somebody cursed again. 

"Got you in eye huh. Serves you right." 

"Shut up." 

Heero gave himself a mental pat on the back and relaxed. Another twenty minutes his guard would be dozing and he could get to work. 

*** 

Trowa sat in his car waiting. He had received two messages almost simultaneously. Though he had been tempted to ignore one of them in favor of the other he knew better then to act on that feeling. Which was why he now waited in a rather busy section of town. 

He didn't have to wait too long. The passenger side door open and a figure slid gracefully in. "Hi Trowa." Noin sounded a bit breathless as she buckled her seatbelt. "Thanks for picking me up." 

"You're lucky you caught me at all." Trowa responded as he shifted into gear and eased out onto the street. "Heero contacted me just a little before Central Command." 

"Heero?" Noin sounded bewildered. "But the safehouse was raided. Wufei reported that before he left the colony." 

"Relena's probably safely hidden away somewhere." Trowa began calmly. 

"Heero tell you that in his message?" Noin interrupted. 

Trowa shook his head. "No, " He unclipped a pager from his belt and handed it over to her. 

Noin took it and began to examine it. Her forehead wrinkled in curiosity. "Hey this isn't a real pager." 

"Right." Trowa nodded. "Heero and Duo put them together as way for us ex-pilots to keep in touch without needing to use verbal communication. Heero activated the tracer on his, but sent the signal to only me." 

"He's captured? But won't Xousia realize they're leaving a trail?" 

"It's on a totally different frequency so normal detectors won't recognize it and it would take a really good detector a while to figure it out." Trowa shrugged. "Duo and Heero generally know what they're doing." 

"So if Heero's captured then...." Noin allowed her voice to trail off 

"We're going to find out where Xousia has entrenched itself."   
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

(Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the storyline and any original characters, neither am I making any money off of this tale.)

Silent Night  
Part 6  
By: Starlight – x1

Relena woke slowly to the smell of something cooking. For a moment she blinked at the unfamiliar surroundings. Then she remembered. She and Duo had come to another colony and were staying at the house of Duo's friend, Hilde. In the middle of a junk yard. Pushing aside the curtain she looked out the window. Metal pieces of various shapes and sizes were piled in what seemed a haphazard fashion.

Relena shook her head in amusement and let the curtain drop back into place. Her stomach growled. For a moment Relena froze in place and then a smile blossomed on her face and she hurried to get dressed. The smell of food was tantalizing.

"Good morning!" Hilde greeted her cheerfully when she appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. "Come sit down."

Relena did so, letting her gaze wander. A broad shouldered man stood at the stove, frying something. Duo was no where to be seen.

"Ah, a guest! Are you ready for one of Dad Allen's famous omelets? They're a specialty of the house!"

Relena glanced up into the smiling face of the cook. Grey stubble covered his chin, while a white apron was tied above his slightly protruding stomach.

"Introductions," Hilde chirped. "Relena meet Dad Allen, our resident chef and assistant junk manager. Dads, this is Relena Darlian, former princess, Vice Foreign Minister, and current fugitive."

"That's quite a resume you've got there, missy. Are you ready to eat?"

Relena blinked at Hilde's introduction. "Yes, please." Her stomach rumbled again, to her embarrassment.

Dad just chuckled and turned back to the stove. "One omelet coming right up."

"Where's Duo?"

Hilde looked up and shrugged. "Out. He didn't say why, though he's probably checking the yard. Don't worry, he'll be back in time to eat."

As if in response to her words the door swung open and Duo entered shrugging off his coat. "Smell's good Pops."

"Pops me again and you won't get anything to eat." Dad Allen didn't even turn around.   
  
"Ah come on! You know you love me." Duo winked at Relena as he pulled a chair out and sat down. His joviality didn't last long though. Soon a serious look spread over his face and his eyes took on a far away cast that continued even when Dad Allen set a plate in front of him.

Hilde and Dad Allen both attempted to keep a conversation going without much success. Relena had nothing much to say, her mind wandering to her brother and Heero while Duo was still lost in his own thoughts.

Suddenly Relena remembered what she had found in a pocket of Heero's coat. "Duo?" She began, trying to get the American's attention, without any success.

Hilde stood slightly and waved her hand in front of Duo's face. "Earth to Duo, come in please."

"Wha…" Duo jerked as he came out of his musing. Startled he looked at where Hilde frowned at him. Silently she pointed to Relena. "You need something Relena?"

"I found this disk in a pocket of Heero's coat. Is it important?"

For a moment Duo stared at the thin plastic disk Relena was holding out over the table to him.

"Oh for Pete's sake…" Hilde snatched the disk from Relena's hand and pushed her chair back impatiently. "Snap out of it already, won't you?"

"For your information I've been trying to come up with a plan." Duo shot back, unusually short tempered.

"Reeeeaaally." Hilde wasn't the slightest bit fazed. "I thought you were moping."

"Come on, give me that." Duo made a grab for the disk and missed.

"Ha!" Hilde stuck her tongue out at the braided boy and fled the room. Duo growled something inarticulate and followed her.

"Do you want some more to eat?" Dad Allen asked, ignoring Duo and Hilde's antics.

"No thanks." Relena could still hear snippets of the struggle for the disk.

"Hilde, you don't want to make me mad."

Hilde's response was a sudden shriek, followed by uncontrollable laughter. Dad Allen nodded knowingly. "He caught her."

"Do they do this a lot?" Relena couldn't help asking.

"All the time." Dad rolled his eyes.

Hilde's laughter suddenly abated. "Do you want more?" Duo's voice floated in followed by more laughter.

Relena shook her head and opened her mouth, but found she couldn't get the words out. Dad Allen followed her gaze to the opened kitchen door and the somewhat annoyed Chang Wufei standing there.

"Another guest! Would you like some breakfast?" Dad Allen gripped the handle of his skillet tightly.

"No." Wufei gave him a wary look and stepped into the kitchen, shutting the door firmly behind him. He turned to a flabbergasted Relena. "Where's Maxwell?"

"Follow the noise." Relena managed.

Wufei looked disgusted, but exited the room. Relena quelled the urge to bang her head on the table and instead began to laugh. Her laughter built as the noise in the back room cut off suddenly, advertising Wufei's entrance.

Dad Allen looked at her. "Are you alright Ms. Darlian?"

Relena's laughter subsided. "I feel like I'm in a very bad movie and I don't really want to know what's coming next just because it'll probably get worse."

Wufei's look of disgust had deepened by the time the three returned to the kitchen.

"But I want to go with you. Dads can look after the yard. Besides, I'm pretty good at sneaking into places. I snuck onto Libra, remember?" Hilde was practically hanging onto Duo's arm as she pleaded.

"I remember having to rescue you and that fact that you almost died." Duo obviously wasn't convinced his girlfriend should be coming with them.

"Aw, come on." Hilde turned her puppy eyes on full force.

"You're coming back to Central Command." Wufei ignored the scene behind him as he spoke in low tones to Relena. "Lady Une thinks you'll be safer there."

"Have you heard anything about Heero?" Relena couldn't help asking.

Wufei shook his head, a look close to being sympathetic crossing his face. It was quickly replaced by frustrated resignation as he turned back to Duo and Hilde. "Just bring her along Maxwell or she'll never shut up."

Duo sighed. "Fine."

"Thank you!" Hilde gave Duo an enthusiastic kiss. She turned towards Wufei who held up a warning hand.

"Don't even think about it."

"Yeah Hilde," Duo added hastily. "Thanks'll be plenty for him. Besides," He gave her a cheeky grin. "I don't want you kissing anyone but me."

"Jealous?" Hilde asked.

"Heck, yeah." Duo responded with another grin. Turning serious he looked at Wufei. "Probably oughta leave as soon as possible, so we can see what Heero left on this disk." He held up the object he had finally obtained from Hilde.

"Fine." Wufei nodded in agreement. "Let's do it."

''''''

He was starting to lose his patience. To any observer Quatre Raberba Winner was sitting complacently on his cot, hands folded, staring at the wall. Inwardly he was seething. Dorothy still refused to allow him to see his sister. She also seemed to find it quite necessary to come in and taunt him in a high toned manner almost daily. Quatre had dealt with many self-centered people in his life, but Dorothy was stretching his endurance to its absolute limit.

The door opened and Dorothy entered, proceeded by the now familiar scent of her perfume. Quatre refused to look up. "How are we today Mr. Winner?"

Quatre ignored her.

"Sulking? How very mature of you. Nothing better then a good sulk to get your own way, hmmm? Come now, aren't you going to speak to me?"

"Where's Ariel?"

"Oh," Dorothy laughed. "Still worried about your sister. Isn't she a big enough girl to take care of herself?"

Slowly Quatre turned his attention toward her. Every inch of his being longed to leap up and throw her into the wall, but he was too much of a gentleman to give in to his compulsion.

Dorothy sat down across from him and examined the nails of her right hand. "How thoroughly do you check charity projects before you fund them?"

Quatre frowned. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh, nothing." Dorothy gave another annoying laugh and stood. "Keep on being a good boy and maybe I'll let you see your sister." She wiggled the fingers of her left hand in a farewell gesture as she exited the room.

Quatre closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, seeking the calm that vanished all too suddenly for his liking. Words that had almost become a mantra for him floated through his mind once again. _I will not kill Dorothy…_

''''''

"Here we are." Noin announced with satisfaction as they pulled into a small shuttle port.

Trowa gave a slight nod as he parked their vehicle and turned off the ignition. "They should be landing soon." Unclipping the makeshift pager from his belt he checked the screen.

Noin leaned over his shoulder to look as well. "They are getting close." Sitting back she crossed her arms and turned her head, keeping a careful eye on their surroundings.

Trowa glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "We'll get them all back safely, Zechs, Quatre, all of them."

Noin nodded but refused to look at him. "I know." Her voice was soft.

Looking out his side Trowa watched a van pull past them and park. No one got out. He narrowed his eyes in thought.

"Here comes the shuttle." Noin leaned closer to her window as she peered up at the glint in the sky getting rapidly nearer.

Trowa pressed a button on his pager and watched as the shuttle landed and taxied to a halt out of sight from their car.

Both were getting a little tense when a small group of people came into sight heading straight for the van. In the midst of all the strangers there was a familiar head of dark brown hair. Trowa gave a satisfied nod as Heero looked up for one small second of time and glanced towards them before being herded into the van.

Trowa waited for the van to pull out and gave them a decent head start before starting after them.

Noin pulled out her gun, checking it carefully. Satisfied she loaded a clip and returned it to her left underarm holster.

On the screen of the pager lying on seat between them Heero's tracer signal continued to blink comfortingly.

''''

Zechs walked down the corridor. He'd already figured out he was in an underground base, especially since there were no windows or exits of any kind. There were only elevators that required security clearance to operate.

He'd also figured out that his "assistant" had higher security clearance then he did. Particularly since the young Major kept hurrying ahead at certain junctures to open doors while letting Zechs try and fail at others.

At this moment he was alone, having managed to escape his tag-a-long. Any attempt to go up floors had failed and now he working on finding his way down. A process that was taking more time then he would have liked.

Passing by the elevator he continued his search. There had to be a maintenance stairway or manual elevator somewhere in case of a power outage or elevator breakdown. A group like Xousia didn't seem the type to be caught with their pants down.

As he walked Zechs continued to go over his options which were shrinking rapidly. The computer system was literally useless. Any sensitive information was locked away from his grasp and he had no opportunity to try and break through the barriers protecting it from him. There had always been someone around watching.

At least his mask was clean. A check with his limited equipment had revealed no tracers embedded anywhere. They must have figured that Eric Raskins was good enough to keep an eye on him. Zechs smirked as he turned a corner.

Set in an unobtrusive corner was a maintenance door. Zechs allowed himself a small moment of self-congratulations. Instead of a security pad the maintenance door was equipped with a regular lock, one he wasn't equipped to open at this time. Turning away Zechs filed the information away for a later time and continued his lone expedition before Raskins caught up with him again.


	7. Chapter 7

(A/N: I just want to thank all of you who have waited patiently for this chapter. I've been rather busy besides struggling with a nasty case of Writer's Block. I hope you find this chapter worth the wait though. I will do my best to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Thank you all again!!)

(I don't own Gundam Wing)

Silent Night  
Part 7  
By: Starlight - x1

Sally came awake slowly. Still limited to her cot in the office corner she frowned as she noticed the absence of one person. "Where's Noin?"

"You're awake." Bryan Thomas glanced over his shoulder at her before returning his gaze back to the computer in front of him. "She went on assignment with Trowa to find Xousia's headquarters. We received a message that they were on a lead and may not be able to check back for a while."

"What else's happened?" Sally hated not being able to get up and do something.

"Your partner managed to find the Vice Foreign Minister and Duo Maxwell. They're headed back here along with someone else. A Hilde Schbeiker I believe the name was."

"Good." Sally couldn't help the relieved smile that spread across her face. Knowing that Wufei could take care of himself still didn't stop her from worrying the least little bit. Besides, she had grown accustomed to watching his back, secure in the knowledge that he was watching hers at the same time.

One of her hands played restlessly with a long golden braid while her eyes darted around the room cataloguing and assessing all that went on. The door opened admitting the familiar form of Lady Une. The woman smiled as she noticed Sally watching her. "Awake again I see. I hope you had a good nap."

"Request permission to get up." Sally tugged on her braid again.

"Denied." Une's voice was noticeably crisp. "Medical says you still need to heal. Be grateful I allowed you in here at all."

"Please, I need something to do. I'm going stir crazy just lying here."

Une's voice softened just a tad. "Alright." Stopping by Sally's cot she assisted the young woman to a sitting position. "I have a few files you could look at for me. But be sure you don't overdo it. If you do," Une's voice took on a threatening tone. "I'll send you back to the half-way house's medical facilities faster then you could say 'Yes Ma'am.'"

"Understood." Sally nodded her head in relieved agreement and accepted the manila folders handed to her.

Une smiled and turned to Bryan Thomas. "Find out anything new?"

"No Ma'am." Bryan didn't even look up from his screen, intent on his assignment. "I will inform you at once if I do, Ma'am."

"Thank you."

'''''''

The van pulled to a slow stop and the engine cut off abruptly. Heero raised his head slowly; apparently they had reached their final destination. A slight feeling of relief coursed through him. The time for passively waiting had come to an end. It was time for action.

The van's sliding door opened with a rush and Heero blinked at the sudden change in light his eyes were receiving. His trip had been made in almost total darkness since there were no windows in the back portion of the van. Heero waited, giving himself enough time to adjust.

There was an impatient shove from his left. "Hurry up and get out will-ya."

Heero didn't even bother looking over at the man who had shoved him as he scooted across the bench seat and carefully exited the van. Instead he focused on the few standing around outside chatting idly with each other. Not one had bothered to pull their sidearm, obviously trusting the binders on his wrists to do an adequate job in restraining him. It was of course a mistake for them to assume so. He would make sure it was their last mistake regarding him.

As he stepped onto the ground Heero suddenly tensed and slammed the back of his head into the face of the man behind him just as the guard bent to exit the van. With a startled cry the man fell back into the van's interior. At the same time Heero swung his arms, smashing the metal binders into the face of guard on his right, effectively breaking his nose.

Dropping to the ground Heero used a leg sweep to knock another of his captors off their feet. Rolling over onto his hands and knees he prepared to charge the remaining two who were backing away from him and attempting to pull their guns.

The sound of a safety being released caused everyone to freeze. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." A familiar voice called out.

Heero looked up to see Trowa and Noin with their guns drawn. "Took you long enough. " He grunted slightly as he stood.

Trowa finished confiscating the guns of all the Xousia adherents before walking over and releasing the binders from Heero's wrists. "Sorry about that. We had to hide our car and walk the rest of the way." He said mildly.

"What should we do with them?" Noin asked, a sour expression on her face as she looked at their captives.

"Tie them up and put them in the back of the van." Heero had found the remainder of his belongings and was now checking his gun carefully.

Trowa took a quick look inside the van and nodded. "Good idea. If we have the keys they won't be able to go anywhere."

"What about me? I'm bleeding."

Heero glanced at the man whose nose he had broken. "Tilt your head back. It'll stop." He responded unsympathetically.

In a short period of time they had the five Xousia soldiers suitably restrained and locked in the back of the van while Trowa pocketed the keys.

"I doubt this is Xousia's headquarters, but they had some reason for bringing me here." Heero said as they turned and observed the rather dilapidated warehouse.

"Let's check it out." Noin spoke up grimly. Together the three moved cautiously forward.

'''''''

Quatre was deep in his own thoughts, pacing back and forth with his arms crossed over his chest. A frown was visible on his face. _Charity projects. Just was did Dorothy mean? She knows something and it has to do with some type of charity project I funded._ Quatre unconsciously scratched at his chin and grimaced at the stubble evident there. Although Dorothy made sure he was provided with enough food and water he was denied any other comfort, including a razor.

_Charity projects._ Quatre wracked his brain. Over the years Winner Enterprises had contributed to hundreds of reputable causes. Obviously one hadn't been what it appeared to be. But which one? In a sudden flash of anger Quatre slammed the side of his fist into the wall. Withdrawing his hand he stared blankly at the sizable dent now visible. Plaster crumbled and fell to the floor.

He had to get out.

A sound from the other side of the locked door had him crouching and ready. He wasn't about to play any more of Dorothy's stupid games. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

The door opened and Quatre tensed, ready to spring at whoever came through the door first.

"Quatre?" The voice was female and definitely not Dorothy's.

"Miss Noin?" Quatre slowly straightened and moved out of the room.

Noin felt the smile and greeting die on her lips at his appearance. Quatre brushed ineffectively at his wrinkled shirt. "I apologize Miss Noin, I'm afraid I'm not looking my best at the moment."

Noin mentally shook off her paralysis. "Don't worry about it Quatre. Come on." She led him down the hall to where Heero and Trowa stood guard while a very pretty young woman sat slumped against the wall. Her face lit up when she saw Quatre and Noin approaching. "Quatre!!" She scrambled to her feet and gave him hug. Quatre patted her back reassuringly.

"Glad to see you're okay." Trowa looked at his friend.

Quatre gave his friend a grim smile all while keeping one arm tucked about his sister's shoulders. Both siblings had an equally crumpled look. "Have you found Dorothy yet?"

Heero glanced over his shoulder, frowning slightly at the tension in Quatre's voice. "No."

"We haven't seen hardly anyone." Noin elaborated. "It's almost like this place is deserted. Perhaps she left already."

"No, she's still here." Quatre gave his sister another squeeze and then released her. "Take care of Ariel for me please Miss Noin." With that he strode off down the hall, not looking back. Trowa hurried after him leaving Noin and Heero to stare at one another blankly.

"Come on." Heero finally said.

"Stay close to me." Noin looked at Ariel who nodded. "We'll get you out of here."

'''''''''

Trowa was concerned, slightly worried even, as Quatre continued his forward trek hardly pausing to check for enemies. "Quatre…" Trowa reached out and laid a restraining hand on his friend's shoulder as Quatre prepared to walk blindly around a corner.

"I have to find Dorothy." There was no denying the urgency in Quatre's voice. He turned his head and Trowa nearly recoiled from the raw anger he saw reflected in the aquamarine of his friend's eyes. "She knows something Trowa."

"We'll find her then." Trowa said calmly. "But you need to be cautious, we don't know how many more soldiers are still around."

Quatre shook his head. "Dorothy wasn't working in conjunction with Xousia when she kidnapped me. This was personal. Whoever's here had to have been bought off before they even started working for her. I doubt you'll find any true Xousia zealots here."

Trowa thought about it and then nodded in agreement. "Still, you should be careful." He admonished, releasing his hold on Quatre's shoulder. He watched as Quatre checked around the corner before heading resolutely on his way. Trowa let out an almost inaudible sigh as he followed his friend.

Quatre stopped finally and flung a door open. "Dorothy, tell me what you meant."

Stepping through the doorway Trowa saw Dorothy standing across the room, facing away from them. Long blonde hair fell unhindered down her back, the strands silky smooth. Her shoulders shook in silent laughter.

"You really don't know do you?" A harsh laugh escaped her mouth.

"Tell me.' Quatre's voice had dropped dangerously low and he took a step forward.

Suddenly Dorothy whirled around and both Quatre and Trowa froze as the tip of a rapier came to rest delicately on the side of Quatre's neck.

"Do you remember the last time we fought?" Dorothy began in a conversational tone. "I won that time as I recall, gave you a nasty stab.'

Quatre remembered all too well. He still carried a scar from that encounter. He stood absolutely still, the cold metal pressing uncomfortably into his neck.

"It would be all too easy to kill you now." Dorothy mused. "One little slice to open your jugular and farewell Mr. Winner. You'd be as dead as any other mortal."

Quatre felt his anger drain away, replaced by an unexplainable calm. He stared deep into Dorothy's pale blue eyes. Something wasn't right here. Something in her eyes, a deadness as if she wasn't quite herself. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Trowa shift.

"Don't move!!" Dorothy commanded. She jabbed the rapier a little harder and Quatre felt a trickle of blood run down his neck from where the tip had broken skin. Trowa stopped.

The instant her attention strayed to Trowa, Quatre moved. His right hand shot up and grasped the blade of the weapon firmly, shoving it away from his neck. Dorothy screeched and lunged. Quatre kept a firm grip on the blade ignoring the blood that dripped from his fingers.

As soon as he saw Quatre was out of danger Trowa moved forward to restrain Dorothy. The young woman fought wildly but was no match for the muscular strength of the tall ex-pilot. The rapier clattered to the ground as first Dorothy and then Quatre released their hold on it.

"You okay?" Trowa looked at Quatre who was using the bottom portion of his shirt to try and stop his hand from bleeding.

"I'll live." Quatre gave a wry smile.

Dorothy hung from Trowa's iron grip, panting slightly. Her pale blue eyes never straying from Quatre.

Quatre met Dorothy's gaze. Trowa saw that the young Arabian was in full control of his emotions. Dorothy's breathing quieted and she blinked, once.

"Dorothy, you have to tell me." Quatre stepped closer and looked piercingly into her eyes. "What charity project were you talking about?"

A superior smile crossed Dorothy's face and she set her lips stubbornly.

"Come on Quatre." Trowa shifted his grip on the young woman. "Let's find Heero and the others and head back to Central Command. Between Dorothy and the five tied up in the van outside we should be able to get some type of information."

"You're right." Quatre agreed. They exited the room and nearly ran into Heero, Noin and Ariel.

"Quatre!" Ariel's deep brown eyes widened as she took in his blood soaked shirt and Dorothy held securely in Trowa's grip.

"We need to get out of here now." Heero's tone broached no argument. "We found the rest of Dorothy's people. They were all dead."

There was a sharp intake of breath from Dorothy and her face paled slightly.

"Let's go then." Quatre's hand was now neatly bandaged with a silk scarf that had originally been part of Ariel's designer outfit.

The small group moved swiftly and cautiously to where they had entered the false warehouse. Outside Trowa handed Dorothy over to Heero and dug in his pocket for the keys to the van. "I'll drive the van back. Noin can take the rest of you in the car we came in."

Noin caught the keys he tossed to her and nodded. She started across the cracked asphalt, heading back to where the car was hidden. Heero followed closely, dragging the unresisting Dorothy.

Quatre and Ariel were not far behind when suddenly Quatre stopped, not able to explain the feeling of wrongness that gripped him. Whirling, he saw Trowa with his hand on the driver's door. The sense of wrongness increased. "Trowa!! Get away from there now!!"

Trowa looked up at his cry and began running away from the vehicle. Quatre's throat tightened.

KA-BOOM!! Quatre felt himself flying backwards as the van exploded into an enormous fireball.


	8. Chapter 8

Silent Night  
Part 8  
By: Starlight – x1

Quatre landed hard, feeling the air rush out of his lungs as he connected with the asphalt, followed by a blistering wave of heat. His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe and he coughed as he finally managed to draw in a full breath of clean, life giving air. Ears ringing from the explosion and lack of oxygen Quatre rolled over and pushed off the ground with his hands. Small stones dug painfully into his palms, but he didn't notice.

Ahead of him he could see Ariel struggling up from the ground. Heero had managed to stay on his feet and support Dorothy at the same time. Noin had turned and was hurrying back towards them. Quatre could see her mouth move but didn't take the time to figure out what she was saying. He turned and stumbled back to where the shell of a van sat, flames licking around the metal framework. Bits of debris continued to fall around him as he searched frantically for Trowa.

His search didn't take long. Trowa lay on the ground like an abandoned rag doll. The sense of panic that filled Quatre's gut and rushed up to close his throat was the very same feeling he'd had when he watched the Vayeate explode with Trowa still inside. This was another explosion, not his doing intentionally, but in some ways it possibly _was_ his fault. As he dropped to his knees beside the still form of his friend he could hear Dorothy's voice mocking him. _"How thoroughly do you check charity projects before you fund them?"_

If some action of his, however well-intentioned, had caused one of his dearest friends to die and many other to suffer needlessly he would never forgive himself. Quatre reached down and touched Trowa's neck. He was rewarded with a strong and steady pulse. At the same time Trowa drew in a long breath and opened his visible eye. For a moment he seemed to be searching, then his gaze fixed on Quatre's face and slight smile lifted the corners of his mouth.

"Trowa?" Quatre bent closer. "Are you okay? Can you move?"

For a moment the silent young man lay still, considering, moving first his legs and his arms. Then slowly he began to rise, his face remained the same solemn mask but Quatre caught glimmers of pain in his emerald green eyes.

"Take it easy." The smaller blonde reached out a steadying hand.

"I'm fine." There was subtle harsh quality in Trowa's reply. Quatre winced and pulled back his hand. Trowa noticed and hurried on as if to reassure his friend. "They were still in there."

"Who?" Quatre wore a blank expression for a moment. There was a quiet gasp and he glanced over to see Noin and the rest had arrived. Then he remembered, _The five outside._ "Your prisoners." It was a statement but Quatre's stomach still lurched at the answering nod he received from Trowa.

Quatre was brought out of his own horror by a slight whimper. He saw Ariel stumbling back from the van, her hand over her mouth. He hurried over to her. She looked up at him, the horror he felt reflected in her eyes. "How could anyone do that?" Her voice wasn't more then a whisper.

"I don't know." Quatre had no answers. He looked over at Trowa who stood, favoring one leg slightly.

"We should go." Heero glanced about him as if he wished to watch all directions at once. His grip on Dorothy had tightened and his eyes darted down at her for just one instant. The others understood. All of Dorothy's agents had been effectively killed. It was possible the killer would try for her next.

They reached the car as quickly as possible. Quatre and Noin arrived first and quickly searched the vehicle, confirming that no one had tampered with it in any visible way.

"All clear?" Heero asked as he came up with Trowa limping behind him.

Noin nodded. "It shouldn't explode at least."

It was tight but they all managed to squeeze into the car. Noin drove, checking often to make sure they weren't being followed.

Heero and Trowa were in the back seat, Dorothy between them. The young woman seemed to be in shock. She hadn't spoken since the van had exploded. Trowa cradled his left wrist that had begun to swell to almost twice its normal size.

Quatre sat on the front passenger seat, leaning forward. His upper back felt on fire. The pain a combination of a rug burn and a very bad sunburn. Ariel sat scrunched next to Quatre as close as she could manage. Her feet were on his side of the car, her knees jostling his upper left leg.

"You're bleeding." There was a gentle brush of fingers over his right shoulder blade. Quatre winced as Ariel continued. "You must've landed hard."

Quatre didn't reply. The adrenalin rush he had received when the van exploded had long since faded away; leaving him aware of the aches that now plagued various parts of his body. He let his eyes close. If he was feeling this battered Trowa had to feel worse since he had been closer to the blast. Guilt again threatened to overwhelm him. Twisting his head he strained to see over his shoulder into the back seat. He bit back a hiss as the material of his shirt shifted over his upper back.

"Relax." Ariel's voice was firm. Gently she forced his head around to face forward again, caressing his cheek as she did so. "You'll get your answers, but you don't need to injure yourself more doing it."

"Your sister's right." Trowa's normally smooth sounding voice was slightly raspy. "Stop overburdening yourself."

_But how can I?_ Quatre's thoughts were overflowing with the weight of his guilt and other emotions. _All this might have been prevented if I hadn't committed some sort of impulsive funding._ Even as the thought crossed his mind it was loudly denounced by the part of him that was both an excellent strategist and tactician. Now it rose above his tumbling emotions reminding him that impulsive in no way defined any portion of his business dealings, and that included funding for charity.

Quatre allowed the strategist within him to take over. It was time to look at the situation rationally. There was more then one way to obtain the answers he needed. If Dorothy refused to talk he would just have to turn to his own records. Quatre made a mental note to contact Royle Keith as soon as possible.

'''''''

Zechs had managed to slip away again.

Escaping once from Eric Raskin's watchful eye seemed amazing… but twice? And so soon after his first try too. There had been no mistaking the panic and worry evident on the young Major's face when he had finally located Zechs the first time. The Lightening Count had expected Raskins to keep a closer eye on him, surely the young man couldn't be so naïve as to believe the story Zechs had told about getting separated and lost. Although he had certainly seemed to buy it at the time.

Understandably Zechs entertained severe doubts that this 'escape' was really as legitimate as his first attempt had been. He felt a definite need for caution, but couldn't pass up this opportunity to further investigate the maintenance door he'd found.

As he walked swiftly through the corridors he found his thoughts turning toward the former Gundam pilots. Any one of them would be able to adjust the situation to their advantage. Guerilla warfare had been more their style during Operation Meteor. "Fighting losing battles" they called it. The few against the many. Of course he'd had a few occasions that were comparatively the same, but most of his fights had the backing of many followers or comrades. It wasn't until the Mariemaia/Dekim conflict that he had truly experienced a 'losing battle.'

Thanks to Preventer training he was well equipped to handle this situation as well. A few well placed bombs and the threat Xousia posed would be nonexistent.

That of course was not how Preventer did things. At least, they only did it as a last resort. Besides, some of the younger soldiers were just as much victims as the targets of Xousia were. Caught up in their youthful idealism they didn't see how their leaders were using them. Zechs felt a mocking smile lift one corner of his mouth. In a way he slightly envied them. His own idealism had been rudely snatched from him at a tender age with the fall of the Sanq kingdom and the death of his parents. He had become a realist, never indulging in fantasy or dreams except for the bloody ones of revenge.

Maybe that was why Noin was such an enigma to him. She refused to let the harsh facts of reality stop her. She had forged her own dream and followed it, even when it left her for a year, eight months and two days or ran off to Mars. She loved him and in doing so she had started to bring back his dreams as well. Which, Zechs mused almost wonderingly, might be why he kept thinking he would get out of this place alive and intact.

''''''

Heero walked briskly down the hall, a scowl darkening his features and warning all to get out of his way. The group had reached Central Command over an hour ago. Lady Une had taken one look at their battered appearances and had ordered every single one of them to the infirmary. Heero had handed Dorothy over to two other Preventers and had allowed one of the doctors to examine him just long enough to elicit a statement that he was perfectly fine. Then he went to check on the rest of his friends.

He found Trowa lying in a bed; left wrist packed in ice. "Sprained with a hairline fracture. I may get a cast, they're just waiting for the swelling to go down." Trowa shifted as he spoke. "I'm lucky whoever set that bomb didn't really know what they were doing."

"They knew enough to kill the five inside the van." Heero said darkly. "I think Dorothy was drugged somehow. I told the doctor and he said they would run some tests."

"That would make sense." Trowa nodded. "Heero, would you do me a favor and go tell Quatre I'm okay. I'd do it myself but the doctor thinks I may have a concussion so he wants to keep me here overnight."

"I'll do it." Heero gave a sharp nod and turned to go. He remembered well Quatre's anguish when he thought he'd killed Trowa with Wing Zero. Duo had been right when he'd observed "Leave him alone long enough and Quatre'll take the blame for everything. I wouldn't be surprised if he started saying his lack of effort is why there's no air in outer space."

Heero found the blonde Arabian sitting on a chair, staring at the ground as a nurse gently rubbed some type of ointment on his upper back. Ariel's scarf had been replaced with a neat gauze bandage. Heero waited until the nurse finished and left the room before speaking. "Trowa's fine." He went on to give a condensed version of Trowa's injuries.

Quatre looked up slowly when he stopped. "I'm glad he's okay." He spoke somewhat dryly. He stood and reached for his shirt, frowning at the dirt and rips on the back of it. "Are we supposed to report back to Lady Une immediately?"

"Noin is giving her report right now. We're next. I'm sure Lady Une is going to want a full debriefing from both of us." Heero didn't have to guess, he knew the leader of Preventer would want a full accounting from the two who had been captured.

Quatre turned away from him to glance at the clock on the wall. Heero frowned. Quatre's upper back ranged in color from a light pink in some places to angry red in others. Light lacerations showed where he had slid across the asphalt. "I need a fresh shirt." Quatre said quietly. "The nurse promised to pour disinfectant on my back if I wore this one again." He held up the shirt in his left hand as he spoke.

"I'll get you one." Heero turned abruptly and left the room. He was soon back with a fresh shirt and watched silently as Quatre eased it on and buttoned up the front. When Quatre finished the two headed for Lady Une's office and their debriefing.

When they finally finished giving their report Lady Une was silent for a moment. "So, all we actually have is information on how Dorothy works and since we already have her in custody that doesn't really help us. The only true information about Xousia we have is locked up in her brain and with the possibility of her being drugged who knows how long it'll be before we can ask her questions."

"Dorothy and her team obviously knew enough to be considered dangerous to the organization." Heero stated.

"That or they decided to weed out some not so enthusiastic followers." Sally suggested.

Quatre had been listening quietly and now stood up. "I need to contact Royle Keith. Could you provide me a secure line?" He asked, his attention focused on Lady Une.

"Of course." Une replied, brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Bryan can take care of that for you." She nodded and the computer technician stood.

"Thank you." Quatre followed Bryan out of the room.

Heero left not long afterwards with orders from Une to get some rest. As he opened the door to Une's office and stepped out into the hall he heard a very familiar yell.

"Hey buddy!"

Heero looked up to see a small group consisting of Duo, Wufei, Relena, and Hilde walking down the hall towards him.

"Man, I'm glad to see you're okay." Impulsive as always Duo proceeded to give Heero a gigantic bear hug.

Heero pushed the American away with a frown. "Get a hold of yourself." He said sternly.

"Is Lady Une in her office?"

Heero turned his attention to Wufei. He noticed the weary look on the other man's face and nodded affirmatively.

"Thank God." Wufei muttered as he walked past Heero and into Lady Une's office followed by Duo and Hilde.

Relena paused in front of Heero and he couldn't help noticing how large his coat really was on her. The shoulders were too wide and the sleeves would have fallen over her hands if she hadn't pushed them up. She looked up at him and a smile graced her face. "Thanks for the coat."

"You're welcome." Heero reached forward and let his fingertips just barely brush the back of her hand. Then he strode away.

Relena looked after him, the faintest hint of a blush on her face. In just one moment she had seen more emotion displayed in the Prussian blue of Heero's eyes then ever before and she liked what she'd seen.

'

'

'

(A/N: Alright, before any of you realists reading this fic can complain I just want to say that I know how much damage a car bomb can do. But I decided I didn't want Trowa shredded to bits by flying metal, so I put the tiniest bit of anime unreality in.

Saiya-jin Patricia, I actually had a very broad idea of where I wanted my plot to go. I fill in all the little details, chapter by chapter. So to answer your question, I had the general idea pop into my head one day. All the other littlle tidbits are thought up as I write.)


	9. Chapter 9

Silent Night  
Part 9  
By: Starlight – x1

Someone was calling his name repeatedly and thumping his lower back in an effort to rouse him. Quatre opened confused eyes and turned his head to look up into Heero's face. The Japanese man stepped back as Quatre pushed himself up. "What's wrong Heero?" Quatre's voice was still raspy from sleep.

"It's Dorothy. She wants to talk to you and only you. Better hurry up."

With a muffled groan Quatre buried his face in his pillow. After a moment he looked at Heero again. "All right." Quatre untangled the covers from around his body and groped for his clothes feeling a momentary flicker of gratitude toward his friend. Even in his hurry Heero had remembered the condition Quatre's upper back was in and had refrained from touching him there to wake him up.. Quickly he dressed and followed Heero to the infirmary.

Dorothy was awake when they entered the room. She looked almost relieved to see Quatre.

"You wanted to see me Miss Dorothy?" Quatre asked skeptically.

The pale blonde didn't speak. She beckoned him closer. He obliged, moving to stand right next to her. One long fingered hand reached up and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him down closer. Quatre winced and obliged, turning his head to allow her to whisper in his ear. "The healthy should take care of the sick, but unfortunately that doesn't always happen. Sometimes the caregivers are the ones who need taken care of." She released her grip and Quatre straightened. His eyes narrowed fractionally as he stared into Dorothy's pale blue orbs. She didn't look away and there was an almost pleading expression on her face as she spoke again. "Help him, please."

Quatre turned and left the room somewhat confused. The please on the end of Dorothy's last sentence had been hardly more then a whisper. For an instant he had caught a glimpse behind the normal walls Dorothy had built around herself into the pain she held inside.

"What did she say?"

Quatre looked over at Heero. "Something about the healthy being the ones to take care of the sick, but that doesn't always happen..." Quatre picked up his pace. "I've got to call Royle."

"Again?" Heero lengthened his stride to keep up with the blonde Arabian.

"If I'm right, we should be able to find Xousia's location." Quatre glanced at Heero. "But I need a secure line to contact Royle with. I need him to search through some company files."

Heero gave a brief nod and took the lead. Before too long Quatre was speaking with a very sleepy looking Royle Keith.

"Sorry Quatre but I haven't completed pulling all those files for you. I didn't know there was a deadline."

"Just forget what I said before Royle." Quatre interrupted hastily. "I want you to look for any records pertaining to hospitals that may have received money from Winner Enterprises within the same area I specified in my other call."

"Okay, I can do that." Royle absently smoothed down his hair with one hand. "Anything else?"

"Not for now." Quatre assured him. "I'd really appreciate it if I could get those files as soon as possible."

"Understood. I'll get right on it." Royle flashed an agreeable smile.

"Thanks." Quatre disconnected the line and sat back in his chair.

Heero folded his arms and waited. "So?"

Quatre let out a sigh. "Just an idea I got from something Dorothy said. If I'm right we should have a good clue as to where Xousia's head honchos are hiding."

Heero arched an eyebrow but didn't say anything else. He watched as Quatre exited the room before leaving as well. He headed in the opposite direction lost in his own thoughts.

"Hey buddy!"

Heero glanced behind him to see Duo. The ever enthusiastic American gave a wave and jogged up to him, braid swinging. "Guess what? The techs cleared that tape from Relena's office. Zechs is okay. Looks like they shot him with some kind of knock-out drug."

"Does Relena know?" Heero couldn't help asking.

"Nah, I thought you should tell her." Duo turned and headed back the way he came. "Sides, I have to find Hilde. See ya." He glanced back and gave Heero a wink as he left.

Heero watched him hurry away and growled slightly. Duo's actions were painfully obvious. Then a soft look flitted across his face. Relena would be pleased to hear her brother was alive. He hadn't been too concerned about Zechs, knowing that the famed Lightening Count could take care of himself. His only worry had been for Relena.

He found himself heading towards Relena's room.

There was no response to his knock. Thinking she might be asleep Heero turned and was about to leave when the door opened slightly behind him.

"Yes?"

"Relena." Heero turned. The young woman took a step back so she was half hidden in the shadows.

"Heero, I didn't expect you." The surprise in her voice was evident. Heero heard something else too. Something that sounded suspiciously like repressed tears.

"What's wrong?" He took a step forward.

"Nothing." She retreated further into her room.

Heero reached out and touched her cheek. "Then why are you crying?" He asked calmly.

Relena gave a laugh that sounded more like a sob then anything else. "Do you know what day it is Heero? It's Christmas. I was supposed to be home right now with Zechs and Pagan, opening presents and singing Christmas carols, not sitting in some hidden base with no idea where my brother is because some psycho decided to try and take over the world again." She took a shuddering breath. "I already had to deal with being kidnapped during the holidays when Mariamaia and Dekim tried to take over." She had been leaning against the wall as she spoke and now slid down it to sit, hugging her knees to her chest.

Heero let the door shut partially behind him and sat down next to her, waiting as his eyes adjusted to the semi darkness. After a moment he just looked at her profile. As he watched a tear escaped to slide slowly down the contour of her cheek. His eyes followed the silver droplet until it stopped to dangle at her jawline. Tentatively he reached out and wiped it away with his thumb. "Zechs is alive."

"What?" Relena turned to stare at him, one of her hands grabbing hold of his arm as if he were her lifeline. "Do you know where he is?"

"Not right now." Heero was somewhat surprised at the soothing tone that had crept into his voice. "All we know is from the video Duo took from the security camera in your office. Zechs was alive when Xousia captured him."

"That's good news right?" Slowly Relena released her hold on Heero's arm. Instead she leaned her head against his shoulder, craving the comfort of human touch. Absently she reached up and began twisting a strand of honey blonde hair around her finger.

"Yes." Heero looked down at her. "Don't worry, we'll find him."

"He can take care of himself. That's what Noin keeps telling me. But sometimes she doesn't sound like she believes what she's saying." Relena sounded faraway.

"I'm totally confident that he is perfectly capable of taking care of himself." Heero looked down at Relena. A tiny smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she glanced up at him.

"Thanks Heero. I don't know why but I always feel better when you're around." She lifted an eyebrow questioningly. "Do you know why?" There was a teasing hint to her smile.

"It's a gift I have." The words just seemed to come out. Heero felt as surprised as Relena looked.

"Humor, wow." Relena seemed almost dazed. "You know, just when I think I have you figured out, you go and surprise me again."

Heero had the incredible urge to repeat his previous sentence just to see what reaction he would get from the young woman sitting next to him. Instead he kept quiet and met her gaze.

"You are amazing, you know that?" Relena leaned closer and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. Then she sat back and pressed her hands to her cheeks. In the gloom Heero couldn't tell whether she was blushing or not. "I-I'm sorry. I can't believe I just did that."

Standing up, Heero was silent for a moment. Then he leaned down and touched her gently, running his fingers over the silky smoothness of her hair. "You don't have to apologize to me Relena. Ever." He gave her the tiniest of smiles before turning and leaving the room.

''''''''

It was quiet, unnaturally quiet. Zechs frowned as he walked through the corridor. There was definitely something different about this level of Xousia. The walls were a dank gray. He stopped in front of a door and ran the tips of his fingers over the miniscule crack that separated the door itself from the wall around it. Lightly he rapped the back of his knuckles against the door. It was solid.

Zechs stepped back from the door, eyeing it.

"Curious Zechs?"

A tingle ran up his back at the familiar voice. Almost reluctantly Zechs turned to confront his one-time friend. "I must say I am slightly confused. Maybe you can explain something to me, Trieze."

The former leader of OZ was a far cry from the dashing figure he had originally been. Burn scars disfigured part of his face and ran down the side of his neck to disappear beneath his uniform. His eyes no longer held the piercing gaze that Zechs so well remembered, the color of his eyes seemed hidden beneath a haze. Zechs felt his face harden as he looked at the twisted mockery of his original self Trieze seemed to have become. Locked in a wheelchair, the only thing that remained of the charismatic leader was the smooth, rich tones of his voice.

"Explain something to you?" A chuckle escaped Trieze's throat. "Since when did you ever need anything explained to you, Zechs? Surely you are capable of understanding how vital an intimate knowledge of our enemy is. To gain such knowledge I have been forced to detain and question various agents. Unfortunately some of them remain singularly uncooperative so I have had to resort to harsher methods."

"I see." Zechs lifted his eyes from Trieze to the man who was standing silently behind the wheelchair watching him intently.

Trieze followed Zechs gaze, twisting slightly in his chair to peer over his shoulder. "May I introduce my close aide, Doctor Reed. He is responsible for saving my life and helping me accomplish my goals."

Zechs nodded his head in acknowledgement to the other man, ice blue eyes riveted on the doctor's face. "I see."

"You have excellent eyesight Colonel Merquise." Reed responded in a low tone. "Sometimes it doesn't pay to see so well. Now if you will excuse me, I must take his Excellency up to his rooms."

Trieze had been staring off into space. As the doctor pushed his wheelchair forward Zechs stepped to one side allowing them to pass.

"Perhaps you had better accompany us, Colonial. This level really_ is _off limits to you." The doctor paused to stare meaningfully at Zechs.

Zechs couldn't think of any excuse to stay that would sound legitimate, so he followed as the doctor pushed Trieze to the elevator. He kept silent as they started going up.

"Your floor." Doctor Reed stated smoothly as the elevator car came to a halt and the doors slid open. Zechs gave a curt nod and moved to exit the car. "Watch your step Colonel." There was a hint of threatening in the doctor's voice.

Zechs turned and caught the man's gaze as the elevator door's slid shut. Then he headed back to his room, shutting the door firmly behind him as he entered.

"Back so soon? I would've thought you'd be gone longer."

"I would've thought you'd be looking everywhere for me." Zechs headed for his bed, not even glancing over at the only chair where Raskins had comfortably situated himself.

"I had fifteen more minutes left before officially panicking and sending out search teams for you." Eric sounded relaxed. "Learn anything new?"

"Not really." Zechs said neutrally. "Would it matter to you if I did?" He took off his mask and lay down on his bed, placing his hands behind his head while he stared up at the ceiling.

"Maybe, and maybe not." Eric continued the roundabout answers and probing that each were doing as they tested the other.

"I saw His Excellency." Zechs told the ceiling. He felt, rather then saw, the tension that gripped Eric's shoulders.

"How was he today?" Eric's question was asked in an off handed fashion.

Zechs considered his reply. Eric hadn't moved, but he could sense the tension growing in the other man. He decided to throw out a little bait. "He acted like he wasn't entirely there."

"Hmmm." Eric's answer was long drawn out sigh that gave the impression he wanted to say more, but wasn't sure he should. Zechs waited, keeping his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"Doctor Reed was with him I suppose?" The question was casual.

"Yes." Zechs glanced to the side and saw the scowl on Eric's face.

"You noticed?"

"That Trieze seems to be nothing more then a glorified figurehead? Yes."

Eric let out another sigh, this time of relief. "I was hoping you would notice." Eric stood and nervously ran one hand through his hair as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I joined to follow His Excellency. It was all youthful idealism I suppose, but he made it sound as if we were becoming another security organization to complement Preventer. At first Trieze spoke to us personally. But then bit by bit Doctor Reed began to take over. He would tell us that His Excellency wasn't feeling well, or some other nonsense. At the same time several of my friends and I accidentally found out that Reed was supervising the stockpiling of weapons that would have no business being in a security organization.. One of my friends was foolish enough to ask questions and complain. Not long after he disappeared Doctor Reed made an announcement revealing the 'true' purpose of Xousia." Eric stopped and glanced at Zechs with a grim expression on his face. "I decided it would be in my best interest to go along with it as enthusiastically as possible."

"You obviously managed to play your part well." Zechs observed dryly

"Obviously." Eric agreed.

"So why are you telling me this?" Zechs asked, carefully schooling his features to reveal nothing.

"I thought you might be able to help me." Eric would have said more but Zechs cut him off.

"Why would I do that? For all you know I'm loyal to Reed's plan."

Eric gave a derisive snort. "Oh please. If you're so loyal then why do I have higher security clearance? Why do I have to report on what you do and say? Gossip floating around says you're only here cause Trieze himself insisted you be here and Reed doesn't want to upset him."

Zechs was quiet for a moment. Eric seemed sincere but he should still move with caution. "Why do you want my help?"

"I'm almost certain that the doctor keeps Trieze drugged in order to keep him compliant. I want to smuggle his Excellency out of here. Once Trieze is gone a large portion of Xousia will leave, giving Preventer an opportunity to come in and take care of the remaining members." Eric paused and drew in a deep breath. "Will you help me get Trieze out of here?"

Zechs let the silence settle around them for a minute before he slowly looked over at Eric. "Tell me your plan."

Eric nodded and began to explain.


	10. Chapter 10

Silent Night  
Part 10  
By: Starlight – x1

Lady Une sat wearily in the room that passed for her office and general stopping place for all the information gathered. Behind her Sally slept while Bryan quietly worked at his computer. Nowadays this was the closest she ever came to being alone unless she was sleeping. The door opened and Une looked up to see Wufei. The young Preventer agent had begun spending most of his free time with his partner, quietly talking and planning. Une sighed as Wufei gave her a brief shake of the head in answer to her silent question. Her agents were doing their best but there just weren't any new leads. Nothing to tell them where Xousia was hiding. It didn't help matters that she wasn't able to question Dorothy. The doctor had confirmed Heero's suspicion that the young woman had been drugged slightly and had forbidden any form of interrogation until she was partly recovered.

Wufei had stopped to speak quietly to Bryan, pointing to something on the computer monitor in a questioning manner before moving to sit where he could watch until his partner woke up.

Even with all the confusion and stress tied to their efforts to locate Xousia Une had noticed both partners seemed more relaxed as if the normality of working together was enough to ease strained nerves.

Duo spent most of his time corralling Hilde. Une couldn't help but smile thinking of the perky German girl. Her spirit and enthusiasm was like a breath of fresh air to everyone who encountered her. Duo couldn't have looked happier. His eternal optimism seemed to have been restored as well.

As for the other three ex-pilots it really was anyone's guess how they were doing. Heero slipped through the halls as quietly as a ghost, occasionally stopping in to speak with Lady Une. Most of the time he kept his own counsel, content to silently keep what ideas he had to himself for the time being. Trowa was no longer in the infirmary but was restricted from active duty because of the injuries he had sustained from the explosion. Quatre had become a recluse as well, earning worried whispers from the more outspoken of his friends.

Noin, on the other hand, had made herself indispensable. The indigo haired woman worked almost feverishly, her hope flying to higher heights with the confirmation that Zechs was alive. She refused to consider that anything could have happened to him in the interim amount of time that had passed.

Lady Une fought down the urge to pace. It would only distract those attempting to work on their problem. _It's only a matter of time before something turns up that we can use._ Une looked up as the door opened and Duo poked his head in. She lifted an eyebrow questioningly.

"I was hoping Quatre would be in here." Duo entered the room with a dejected look on his face. "I haven't been able to find him anywhere. It isn't like him to be so reclusive, that's more Heero's style."

"What's more my style?" Heero had come in not far behind Duo and stood with his arms crossed, waiting for an answer.

"To hide out by yourself." Duo's reply was blunt.

Heero considered for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Something's been bothering Quatre since we got back to Central Command. When he's ready he'll tell us. Until then I suggest you don't bug him."

"Fine." Duo straddled an empty chair and leaned his arms and chin against the back. "But I'll feel better when he starts acting more like himself again."

"So will most of us." Une agreed. "Now, what are you all doing in my office?"

Before anyone could answer her question the door opened yet again and Quatre entered. "Lady Une, I think I know where Xousia is." Having gained the attention of every single person in the room he headed over to where Bryan sat staring at him. Leaning down he spoke to the technician, earning several nods in reply.

Une sighed and looked over to where Relena, Hilde and Trowa stood in the doorway, having obviously followed Quatre on his headlong rush to her office. "Come in and shut the door behind you." She instructed. Her order was swiftly obeyed. "Now Quatre, tell me what you know."

The blonde gave a nod and began. "When I was being held captive by Dorothy she mentioned the fact that my business had funded an organization that wasn't all it appeared to be. I spoke with Royle and had him look through some company files. We narrowed it down to this one." He pointed to the building that was visible on Bryan's monitor. "This is a hospital on earth that treats terminally ill patients. Winner Enterprises donated much of the funding that was required to build it. Nothing strange about that but Royle discovered that the area it was built on had originally contained a military base."

Bryan tapped a few keys and the picture on his monitor changed to show what the military base had originally looked like as Quatre continued to explain. "All of the buildings above ground were destroyed or leveled but there was an underground bunker."

Une leaned forward for a closer look and nodded. "I see."

"The problem is that the hospital does appear to be functioning in a legitimate capacity." Quatre finished and stood quietly.

"That means Xousia has ready made hostages." Duo spoke next.

"If Xousia is actually hiding there in the underground bunker." Une pointed out firmly. She turned her attention back to Quatre. "The only one who can confirm or deny this is Dorothy and she's still off limits until the doctor gives the okay."

"What's the connection between Xousia and the hospital?" Hilde asked, puzzled. "I mean, I think it's bad that Xousia might use the patients and hospital staff for hostages but I don't see where you're to blame Quatre."

"Right now I don't know where the exact connection is." Quatre answered her. "My guess would be one of the committee heads. I gave Bryan all the information Royle had collected. He's going to keep checking up on some things and he'll keep us posted if he discovers anything new."

"Good." Une nodded. "Now if nobody else has anything to report I'd appreciate it if you would congregate somewhere else so I can concentrate on figuring out what to do next."

The group filed out leaving Une with Sally, Bryan and Noin. As they walked down the hallway in a straggled formation Hilde spoke up. "Why doesn't Lady Une just send a couple of agents to investigate the underground bunker and see if Xousia's really there?"

"I imagine she will eventually, babe." Duo answered his girlfriend. "But Lady Une likes to consider all her options first before she starts throwing orders around."

"That's what makes her a good leader." Trowa spoke quietly.

"You bet your life it does." Duo grinned. "Good to see you up and around Trowa. How ya feeling?"

"Much better, although Lady Une has informed me that I'm still on restricted duty."

"Well, with that busted wrist and bruised knee you couldn't do much anyway."

Trowa gave Duo a look that quickly silenced the braided youth who glanced over in time to see Quatre close his eyes briefly, a look of remorse crossing his face. "Ah, man, Quatre, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply… I… I mean…" Duo trailed off looking miserable.

Quatre immediately attempted to make his friend feel better. "Don't worry about it Duo. I know you weren't implying anything. You were just concerned about Trowa."

"You stop it too Quatre!"

Startled Quatre looked over at Relena who stood with her hands propped on her hips and a stern expression on her face. "Relena?"

"You blame yourself way too often. It's not your fault that someone took advantage of your generous nature. I wish to God we had more people like you willing to actually get off their butts and do something to help others instead of leaving it to everybody else."

Quatre blinked as Relena finished her rant. "Okay."

"Good." Relena nodded and then noticed all the stares directed at her. A faint blush colored her cheeks but she crossed her arms defiantly. "What? That's the way I feel."

"I guess they're just not used to you speaking so forcefully." Hilde slipped an arm around Duo's waist.

"Really?" Relena's frown increased.

"They've just never heard her at a E.S.U.N meeting." Heero murmured.

"And you have?" Duo laughed as he lightly hugged Hilde's shoulders.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have." Heero's reply was accompanied by a look that could almost be termed a smirk.

"Why am I not surprised?" Duo smiled crookedly at his friend. "Leave it to you to watch her from the shadows."

Heero gave a miniscule shrug and leaned against the wall.

Wufei cleared his throat impatiently. "If you all would pardon me, _some_ of us have things to do."

"Sure thing Wufei." Duo grinned irritatingly at his friend. "Don't take it out on us that Lady Une saddled you with another assignment. Take it as a compliment that she sees and appreciates your abilities."

"Shut up Maxwell." Wufei gave Duo a nasty look that lacked true venom.

"He likes me." Duo stated with certainty.

"Yes, Duo, everybody likes you. Come on you big goofball, I'm hungry." Hilde tugged on Duo's arm. "You can annoy everybody else later."

"All right." Duo allowed Hilde to lead him off. "I'll see you guys later. Maybe Lady Une'll have something for us to do." He winked.

"Hopefully." Wufei shook his head as he watched Duo leave. "That guy's too dangerous to be left running loose for long periods of time."

"Come on Wufei, he's not that bad." Relena protested.

"No." Wufei conceded. "He's just overwhelming at times."

"I'll agree with you there." Relena chuckled. She looked around and noticed the absence of another of their friends. "Quatre's gone. I hope I didn't hurt his feelings with what I said."

"Don't worry. I'll go check on him." Trowa walked away, his limp less pronounced then it had been but still noticeable.

"Don't worry about hurting Quatre's feelings." Heero looked at Relena. "He's tougher then you think. He just has this tendency to shoulder everybody else's problems like someone else I know."

"I don't do that." Relena protested.

Heero cocked an eyebrow but didn't reply.

"Well maybe I do a little bit." Relena agreed a little reluctantly. "But you have to admit, it is part of my job."

"And I don't know anyone who would be willing to take all the responsibility you carry on a daily basis." Noin had exited Lady Une's office in time to catch the end of their conversation. Now she smiled at the young politician. "Lady Une would like to speak with you for a moment if you don't mind Relena."

"Of course not." Relena glanced at Heero before following Noin back into the office.

Trowa wandered slowly through Central Command as he attempted to find Quatre. He finally located his friend in the cafeteria. Looking in he noticed Duo and Hilde seated at a table with a few other off duty Preventers, the small group laughing and talking together. Duo caught his eye and gave a slight nod toward one of the back tables. Following the nod Trowa saw Quatre.

If Trowa hadn't suspected something was wrong with his friend before, he was now bombarded with that fact. Trowa began to make his way over to where Quatre had seated himself. As he drew closer the feeling that he should just turn around and leave well enough alone hit him. It was so strong that he actually stopped for a moment in indecision. Quatre continued to stare down at the tabletop, his right pointer finger tracing circles beside his coffee cup.

Understanding dawned and Trowa started forward again. He had wondered why the normally garrulous American hadn't seated himself with his friend. Duo must've run into the "don't talk to me; leave me alone" emotion Quatre was consciously or unconsciously manifesting to those who attempted to approach him. Trowa seated himself across from his friend. The feeling he was making a grave error washed over him.

"I'm not going away Quatre." Trowa spoke bluntly. "You might as well stop trying to make me."

Abruptly the pressure to leave vanished. Slowly Quatre peered up at Trowa through his bangs. For a moment he met Trowa's steady gaze then he glanced at where Trowa's left arm rested on the table; the cast a visible reminder of his friend's close brush with death.

Quatre let out a sigh. "What do you want Trowa?"

"I want you to stop brooding."

"I'm not _brooding_. I'm just considering all the possibilities…"

"Brooding." Trowa responded flatly.

A reluctant smile crept over Quatre's face. "Mostly I've been thinking about something Dorothy said."

Trowa waited for his friend to continue. After a moment Quatre did. "She said, 'Help him, please.'" He looked up at his friend.

Trowa mulled it over in his mind. No wonder Quatre was considering this so deeply. After all it was Dorothy they were discussing; strong, self reliant. Dorothy Catalonia didn't say 'please' to anybody.

"Who's the him?"

Quatre folded his hands and tapped his thumbs together. "I don't know. She didn't say more then that and I expect even that small sentence choked her. All I know is, it's vitally important we check out that underground bunker as soon as possible."

Trowa nodded. "We will. Trust Lady Une, she'll get the ball rolling soon enough."

Quatre shook his head. "No Trowa, that may not be soon enough. Don't you understand? It's something I know _here_." He tapped his chest impatiently. How could he explain the sense of urgency that gripped him?

Trowa had kept his eyes glued on his friend's face and now nodded slowly before leaning closer. "You can't go by yourself. You need back up." He watched Quatre's eyes drift down to his cast and gave an exasperated sigh. "I'm not dead yet."

"No but you would be if you tried to infiltrate Xousia headquarters in your condition." Quatre pointed out reasonably. "Don't worry Trowa, if I do decide to sneak into that bunker I'll be sure to take somebody along for back up."

Looking into his friend's eyes Trowa knew it wasn't an _if_ so much as _when_. Quatre would wait as long he felt he possibly could for Lady Une to give her orders. After that he would go himself, led by a plea and his own sense of urgency. Trowa sat back in his chair, determined to keep a close eye on his friend.

Quatre downed the last of his now cold coffee with a grimace. "All I know for sure is that it's of monumental importance that we help him."

"It might help if we knew who 'he' was."

Now it was Quatre's turn to lean forward. "Perhaps we already do and we just don't know it."


	11. Chapter 11

Silent Night  
Part 11  
By: Starlight – x1

Everything was white. White walls, white ceiling, white sheets. Dorothy moved her free hand, running her slim fingers over the crisp sheet top. If she squinted just right her hand seemed to disappear into the sheet itself.

Someone cleared their throat. Dorothy looked up almost lethargically. Visitors, bright spots of color in her closed off world. Familiar faces; Lady Une, Lucrezia Noin, they both frowned down at her. Why were they here? Oh, yes! She remembered now. They wanted to learn secrets only she could tell them. It was important Lady Une said.

Important. By what did they measure importance? What was more important? The life of one or many? And would they sacrifice one for many? Dorothy turned her head away, her lips forming a pout.

"Dorothy!"

Again that tinge of impatience. Why were they so impatient? She was the one who should be impatient. Why weren't they doing something besides questioning her? If she told them anything else _he_ would be hurt. "I already told Quatre. Where is he?"

"He's not here right now." Noin answered her. "Please Dorothy, it's important that you answer our questions about Xousia."

Dorothy focused her gaze on Noin. Yes, it was there reflected in her deep blue eyes. Deep, burning desperation. An emotion she had almost forgotten existed in her own heart. Slowly she looked over at Une. All she saw was impatience and weary resignation to life in brown eyes that had once burned with a passion.

Une's frown deepened. "You'll be charged for aiding and abetting Xousia. But if you help us, I can get you a lighter sentence…"

Dorothy laughed. Her merriment spilling out of her in bursts. She saw them unconsciously cringe away from her as if she were a disease. Abruptly she stopped. "I don't care." Harshness. Sharp edges, like knives, in her voice, aimed solely at Une. "Once," Her voice became as soft as a whisper, deadly. Able to slip past the defenses and stab deep. "You would have done the same thing because… because you loved him too."

Triumph.

Une paled, lips opening in silent question, filled with a riot of emotions.

Dorothy closed her eyes, satisfaction filling her mind. She had fulfilled her goal. They would go now, out of desperation, hope, curiosity, love. They would find him and save him.

Une stood as still as stone, staring off into space. Noin touched her gently. "Lady Une, are you all right?"

"Let's go." Une came back to herself with startling rapidity. "There's nothing more to learn here."

Noin cast one last look at Dorothy, but the young woman seemed to have retreated to some other place and lay still with her eyes closed

Une hadn't paused and was halfway down the hall by the time Noin exited the room. The dark haired young woman hurried after her

Une burst into her office startling the three occupants. She ignored the questioning looks thrown her way. "Bryan, have you finished compiling the profiles on the hospital's head committee?"

"Nearly finished. I'm having trouble finding information on one man. Royle is searching through the Winner database and will forward anything he finds directly to me."

"Make it as quick as possible. I want to know exactly who I'm dealing with. Wufei," Une turned her attention to the Chinese man. "I want you to assemble two teams of agents who are good at managing hostage situations. I want them to infiltrate the hospital and see that Xousia doesn't use those civilians to their advantage. Noin, I want you to dig up any schematics and blueprints available on that underground bunker. I want to know every entrance in and out of that place."

"Yes Ma'am." Noin watched as Une left the office as abruptly as she entered.

"Wow, what did Dorothy tell you?" Sally asked.

Noin shook her head. "Whatever she said it was aimed at Lady Une. I couldn't quite hear it."

----

Une sat in the comforting darkness of her private room. She stared into the blackness, trying to understand and comprehend what Dorothy had said. _…because you loved him too._ Love. Only one name and face came to mind in conjunction with that word. Only one person had ever stirred those sacred fires within her. Une smiled. She hadn't just loved Trieze Kushranada; she had worshiped him. He had been her sun, moon, and stars. His every wish her command. She would have died for him if he had asked it of her. But he had died instead and at his death the raging flames within her had been reduced to mere embers whose warmth reminded her of what she had once possessed.

Now Dorothy looked her straight in the eye and told her that he was still alive and in Xousia's keeping. Cryptic words that Une couldn't disbelieve because she knew that Dorothy had loved her cousin in her own way, almost to the point of idolizing him.

Une buried her face in her hands, staring through her fingers with dry eyes. Dorothy had spoke, knowing that Une wouldn't be able to turn away from the possibility of seeing the man she had loved heart and soul once again.

But once she saw him, what then? Would she be forced to take him into custody as a member of Xousia? Maybe he was a prisoner, kept against his will. A feeble hope, but one she grasped unswervingly. At this time she couldn't even bear to think that he might be the ruling power behind everything Xousia did.

A sigh escaped her lips and she fell back on her bed. For the first time in a long while Une didn't know what she should do. Trapped between her heart and her head she whispered into the dark. "What would you do, Mr. Trieze, in my place?"

The darkness gave her no answer.

----

The cafeteria wasn't a place to find quiet, but it was an excellent place to go when you wanted to be alone. Trowa found himself sitting alone at a back table drinking a soda. His wrist hurt. Not a sharp, make you cry pain, but a steady throbbing that wore away his pain tolerance and made him slightly irritable. Thus the back table in the cafeteria.

"You okay?"

Trowa looked up in time to see Quatre sit down across from him with a plate of food. He gave a silent nod in reply and watched as Quatre began to eat.

Quatre grimaced after the first bite. "You know, I'll be really glad when we can leave here if only to get away from this canned, dehydrated, add water and heat type food."

Trowa took another swallow of his soda. "I don't know, it's not that bad."

"It's not my fault I have refined tastes."

Trowa nearly spit out the soda he was drinking at the look on Quatre's face as he spoke. He succeeded in keeping the liquid inside of his mouth but choked as he swallowed it and ended up coughing uncontrollably for a bit.

"Sorry Trowa." Quatre looked anything but repentant as he grinned at his friend before continuing to eat.

Trowa gave a final cough and shook his head with a chuckle. "You sounded just like some snotty rich boy."

"It made you laugh didn't it?" Quatre pointed out calmly.

Trowa chuckled again and then grew serious. "You heard about the two teams Lady Une sent to infiltrate the hospital?"

"Yes," Quatre nodded.

There was silence. Neither Trowa nor Quatre wanting to press the issue further about Quatre's leaving. Both of them noticed Heero's approach. He stopped by their table and stood there for a moment without saying a word. Then he looked at Quatre. "Come on, it's time to get ready."

Quatre nodded and stood up, leaving his food. "Let's go then." There was tacit satisfaction in his voice.

Heero looked over at Trowa. "Lady Une wants you to report to her office as soon as possible."

Trowa nodded in turn. "Be careful."

"We will." Heero caught Trowa's furtive nod toward Quatre and gave an equally furtive nod in reply, assuring him that he would keep on eye on the blonde.

Trowa watched the two of them walk away before finishing his soda and leaving to report to Lady Une.

----

It was dusk. Heero glanced down at his watch. There was still time yet. He looked up at the team he'd handpicked to infiltrate the underground bunker. Duo, Quatre, Wufei, Noin. They were all people he had come to trust. He looked next at Hilde, who crouched next to Duo. Her face seemed pale, but her mouth was set in a grim line and she handled her gun with the cool air of a professional. Une had seemed a bit surprised when he'd mentioned that he had wanted her in the first team, but she had agreed to the choice if Hilde would consent to be sworn in as a temporary agent.

Hilde had offered no objections and had passed their marksman test easily. Duo had stood back, beaming with pride even while he verbally lambasted Heero for choosing his girlfriend for such a dangerous mission.

"She snuck onto Libra didn't she?" Heero had responded dryly.

Sally and Trowa, the only others he would have considered were placed on restricted duty and thus unable to join in a field operation.

Heero let his eyes rove over his team once more. It was time for the final briefing, to grant his team the knowledge Lady Une had given him.

"You all know what our job is, so I won't go over that again, but there is one more thing I have to tell you. There is a very real possibility that Trieze Kushranada is alive and the leader of Xousia."

There was silence as Heero let each team member digest what he had just said. After a sufficient amount of time passed he continued gravely. "We have been authorized to use deadly force if necessary." He remembered the look in Lady Une's eyes as she had given the authorization. Something had died inside of her as those words had passed her lips.

Heero glanced at his watch again. This time a little light blinked steadily. He pressed a button that stopped the blinking and looked at the silhouettes of his teammates. "It's time."

----

The idea that this might not be the wisest plan shot through Zechs mind once again. But like before he kept his mouth shut and continued to follow Eric as he strode quickly down the hallway. "Almost there." Eric glanced back at him, the slightest quiver in his voice the only thing betraying his extreme nervousness.

Zechs nodded silently, his mask concealing any emotion his face might have betrayed. They were on their way to the personal rooms of Trieze Kushrananda. Eric hadn't said how exactly he'd gained all the necessary information and Zechs hadn't asked.

Eric stopped in front of an elevator and pressed the button confidently. The doors slid open and both men stepped into the car. Eric waited until the doors closed before touching the button for the floor he wanted.

"Authorization please." A computerized voice spoke out blandly.

Eric chewed his lower lip as he quickly pressed in the security code he'd been given, hoping his friend had given him the correct one.

"Authorization confirmed." The elevator began to move and Eric let the breath he'd been holding rush out in a sigh of relief.

Eric glanced to where Zechs leaned against the elevator wall, arms crossed over his chest. The other man seemed as cool and collected as ever.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open. For a moment Eric questioned his own sanity at even attempting this, but then he cleared his mind of doubts and stepped out of the elevator car into the hallway. There was no turning back now. Zechs followed close behind him. "So, which one is the room we're looking for?" The question was quietly asked.

Eric stopped in front of a door and touched it briefly. "This one." He punched in a long string of numbers on the security pad, mumbling them aloud as he did so. "There." He spoke with satisfaction as the door opened.

They entered a room that was furnished in a more luxurious fashion then the rest of the underground base. Trieze was sitting in his wheelchair in apparent slumber. The door slid shut behind them with a quiet hissing sound.

Zechs waited until it became obvious that Eric wasn't going to do anything. The younger man stared at the sleeping Trieze with a bewildered expression on his face; unsure of whether he should wake him up or not. Zechs wasn't in the mood for hesitation. In a few long strides he was beside the wheelchair, jostling Trieze's shoulder impatiently.

"Hmmm...." Trieze came awake slowly, blinking in a lethargic fashion. "Zechs? What are you doing here?"

Zechs winced inwardly at the blank expression on the other man's face. "I'm leaving, and I'd like you to come with me."

"He really isn't well enough to leave yet." A familiar voice spoke. "And to be quite honest with you I doubt you'll be well enough to leave either."

Zechs looked up to see Doctor Reed smirking at him. Several Xousia soldiers exited the connecting room and spread out in a circle. The door hissed open admitting more soldiers. Two of them took their place in the open doorway.

"A set up." Eric seemed flabbergasted. "It was nothing more then a set up."

"I've had my eye on you for a while Raskins." Reed said amiably. "But you never did anything to confirm my suspicions. Once my men captured Zechs Merquise, I knew I had the perfect opportunity to test you and so, I did." A sneer formed on his face. "You failed miserably, just as I expected."

Eric had moved to stand behind Trieze's wheelchair the instant Reed's men had entered the room and now he stood there, jaw clenched tightly in rage. In a sudden move he whipped out a handgun and pressed the barrel against the back of Trieze's head. "Let us go or I'll blow his brains out." Eric threatened.

Reed shrugged. "Go ahead." He said, even as Zechs hissed at Eric, "Stop, you fool."

Eric glanced back and forth between the two before settling his gaze on Reed. His gun remained firmly pressed to Trieze's head while the tiniest hint of doubt flickered in his eyes. Reed saw it and grinned malevolently. "Go ahead," he repeated, goading the young man.

"Stop." Zechs spoke in a low tone, doing his best to exude calm and rationality. "If you kill him you'll give Reed the ability to turn Trieze into a martyr. All the soldiers who joined Xousia because of Trieze will become fanatical and more devoted to their cause. They'll follow Reed without question as long as he holds up Trieze's memory before them."

Trieze began to rock from side to side, swaying slightly in his chair as he ignored the threat of death behind him. He hummed softly, taken by whatever drugs Reed had pumped into his system into a completely different world.

Reed frowned, annoyed now by Eric's protracted hesitance. "If you're going to shoot him, do it. I really haven't got all day to wait for you to make up your mind."

Eric opened his mouth and shut it before slowly and carefully returning his gun back to its holster on his hip. "I'm sorry." He spoke softly to Zechs, despair in his voice.

Zechs closed his eyes briefly. There wasn't any way out of this situation he could see. Reed was going to kill them both. He could see the promise of it in the other man's cold eyes, having faced that look many times before. He narrowed his eyes, staring unswervingly at Reed. He watched as the man opened his mouth to give an order, the soldiers tensing as they waited.

The lights blinked out, plunging the room into darkness.

Instant chaos broke out. Reed's voice rose above the sounds of the struggle. "Don't let them out of the room, don't let them out of the room!" He bellowed. There was a short burst of gunfire followed by a shriek of pain. Someone else groaned.

"Don't shoot, you imbeciles." Reed was furious. "The lights'll come back on in a moment." There was a dull thud as a body hit the floor followed by a crash.

After a moment the backup generators kicked in and the emergency lights flickered on. Two Xousia soldiers had been shot and were lying in pools of their own blood. One moaned piteously while the other was silent, his eyes open in a death stare. Another man had been knocked unconscious and was draped over a table.

Reed ignored them, searching frantically for his two prisoners. All he saw was the wheelchair tipped on its side, empty. Zechs, Eric, and Trieze were gone.


	12. Chapter 12

Silent Night  
Part 12  
By: Starlight – x1

Perhaps it was fate, Zechs thought wryly. Buthe'd never imagined that he would one day be running through the halls of an underground bunker carrying a thoroughly drugged Treize Kushrananda. Of course he had never imagined having to _ever _carry Trieze anywhere. The elegant man had been self-sufficient for as long as he had known him. He could hear Eric panting behind him and slowed his strides. "What's the quickest route out of here?" He demanded.

Eric paused and looked around, trying to get his bearings. "We have to go up." He finally said and ran down the corridor again. Zechs tightened his grip on Trieze and started after him. The halls were bathed in a dim red glow from the back-up lights.

Eric jerked open a door. "We have to use the stairs. The generators don't power the elevators." He began heading up, taking the steps two at a time.

Zechs sighed. "I guess we should go then." He spoke to the limp body that was Trieze and began to ascend the stairs, hurrying after Eric.

-

Heero moved cautiously down the stairs, pausing to peer around a corner before indicating Duo should take the lead. The long-haired man gave a nod and moved smoothly and quietly down another flight of steps. Suddenly he stopped and held up a fisted hand, warning those behind him to freeze. They did and everyone soon heard the clattering noise that announced a small group of people was ascending the stairs rapidly.

With smooth motions Heero quickly indicated what he wanted his team to do and they responded.

Duo crouched at the corner, tensed and ready.

A young man burst around the corner. Immediately Duo reached out and grabbed his wrist, swiftly divesting him of the gun he carried and twisting his arm up behind his back in a painful grip.

"Zechs." Heero said, recognizing the platinum hair and eerily familiar mask of the tall man who'd been coming up the stairs behind the stranger Duo now held captive.

Zechs met his stare unswervingly, letting the man draped on his back slip down to lean against the wall on the landing. Reaching up slowly he removed his mask and let it drop next to the man. "So good to see you again Heero." He said calmly. His eyes darted for one instant to Noin and a soft look passed over his face. Then he returned to staring coolly at Heero.

Heero obviously came to some decision because Zechs relaxed slightly and turned his attention to Duo. "You can let go of him. He's not dangerous."

Duo hesitated, glancing at Heero for confirmation before releasing Eric Raskins. The young man rubbed his wrist and regarded Duo warily. "We should really keep moving." He spoke urgently. "There are probably people tracking us right now. Especially since you grabbed Kushranada."

There was silence following Eric's comment. Finally Duo spoke; glancing at the man slumped against the wall. "So it's true. Trieze is alive."

"Yes." Zechs didn't feel compelled to elaborate further.

Heero crouched down next to Trieze and pushed the older man's head up from where it had lolled against his chest. He looked impassively at the scar tissue running down the right side of Trieze's face before he lifted his left eyelid, watching the pupil respond to the light. "He's been drugged." He said coolly. "Probably the same stuff they used on Dorothy." He looked up at Zechs. "You being pursued?"

Zechs nodded. "The real leader of Xousia is a Doctor Reed. He's been using Trieze as a convenient figurehead to inspire his soldiers."

Heero stood up and looked at Noin. "I'll contact team five and tell them you have an important package to deliver to headquarters. I want you and Hilde to escort these three to the rendezvous point to meet them."

"Right away." Noin lifted her gun and looked at her small group. "Come on."

"Here babe." Duo handed Hilde the gun he'd taken from Eric. "Be careful."

"You too." Hilde smiled at him before following Zechs and Eric as they continued up the stairs after Noin.

Heero waited several minutes, giving Noin and her group enough time to ascend several levels before he began heading down once again with his team.

They made their way to the floor Zechs and Eric had escaped from. Quatre shivered suddenly.

"What's the matter?" Duo asked softly.

"Rage." Quatre responded. "Someone's emotions all twisted. Very strong too."

"Let's keep going." Heero said. He moved slowly, warily watching as he led his team out of the stairway into the hall. It was unnaturally quiet, giving him a sense of unease. Quatre had seemingly caught the same feeling of unrest. The slender blonde man looked around and shuddered involuntarily.

"Hey, you all right Quatre?" Duo asked, looking with concern at his friend.

Heero paused, waiting to see what Quatre would say, looking back as he did so.

"Something's very wrong." Quatre shuddered again. "I don't know what, but it feels wrong. This Doctor Reed, whoever he is, is a very dangerous man."

Duo let out a snort. "Of course he's a dangerous man. If he managed to manipulate Trieze Kushranada he's gotta be dangerous."

Quatre frowned at him before turning to Wufei. "How thorough are the teams you sent to the hospital?"

"Very. Otherwise I wouldn't have sent them." Wufei frowned.

Quatre rumpled his hair, worry creasing his face. "Good." The rest of his statement was almost too low to make out. "I have a feeling they're going to need to be."

Heero gave Quatre a searching look, noting how the blonde Arabian adjusted his grip on his gun while a set look settled on his face. "You ready?" He asked. At Quatre's confirming nod he turned and began to move forward. Suddenly the radio on his belt crackled to life, an urgent demand for a reply. Heero pulled the radio off his belt and answered. "Yuy here, go on."

The voice coming out of the radio's speaker was tinged with worry. "We've surrounded a live one. He's insisting on talking to whoever's in charge. Otherwise he says he going to detonate explosives he says are hidden in the hospital."

Heero's right hand tightened on the radio. He heard Duo cursing under his breath. "Where are you?" He asked. He listened intently to the directions the man gave before ending the conversation and returning the radio to its place on his belt. He looked over at Wufei who had backed away and was speaking quietly into his own radio. Heero waited until the oriental young man was finished before raising one eyebrow questioningly at him.

"They found and disarmed one bomb already. I told them to keep looking as quickly as they can." Wufei said steadily. "They'll give me a call when they've finished."

Heero nodded. "Good." The group moved quickly through the underground base until they came to the room Doctor Reed was purported to be in. A group of Preventer agents guarded the door. The leader looked relieved when they appeared.

"He's in there." He jerked a thumb at the door. Worry lines creased his face while latent anger burned in his eyes. "He kept threatening to blow up the hospital if you didn't show up soon. I would've tried to disable him but nobody could get a clear shot. He's barricaded himself behind a desk."

"All right." Heero said. He approached the door, standing to the side as he palmed it open.

There was silence inside of the room, then a chuckle, dry and scratchy. "The leader here?"

"Yeah, I'm here." Heero replied.

"Come in." There was irritation in the voice. "I'm not gonna talk to someone I can't see."

Heero cautiously entered the room. It was some kind of personal office. A big desk made of some type of wood was situated to one side. Behind the desk someone moved, cautiously peering over the top. Heero pointed his gun at the man's forehead. To his surprise the man smiled and levered himself up to sit in a big chair that had been pushed back from the desk. "You must be the person in charge."

"You must be Doctor Reed." Heero replied, his aim never wavering.

The man sat back, his left hand curled protectively around an object. "You really are very well informed aren't you?" He let out a sigh, eyeing the gun. "You wouldn't want to shoot me. Know what a deadman's switch is?" He lifted an eyebrow, smiling again as he saw recognition cross Heero's face. "Right now my thumb is the only thing ensuring the explosives hidden in that hospital don't go off."

Heero lowered his gun, a hard look coming into his eyes. He heard Duo and Quatre moving into the room behind him "What do you want?"

"I want out of here, safely." The man returned. "I want Treize Kushranada _and _I want Zechs Merquise."

Heero narrowed his eyes. His jaw tightened and he stared at Reed who stared back confidently. "I'll see what I can do." He backed out of the room, snagging Wufei who was just entering as he did so, leaving Quatre and Duo in the room. "Keep an eye on him." He didn't have to give the order. Duo was already staring at the man with extreme dislike as if he were scum. Quatre's face was unreadable.

Out in the hall Heero turned to Wufei. "How soon will the teams be able to clear the hospital? He's got a deadman switch in there."

Wufei cursed quietly. "I don't know. It should be soon, but I really couldn't tell you without being there myself."

"They need to get moving. I don't know how long I'll be able to stall him. He wants free passage out along with Trieze and Zechs."

Wufei's eyebrows lifted. "Zechs? What does he want with him?"

Heero shook his head. "I don't know."

"I'll give them a call." Wufei said.

-

Quatre stared unblinkingly at the man sitting confidently behind the desk, or rather he stared at the hand curled tightly around the deadman's switch. Doctor Reed had his elbow propped on the desk, looking like he was arm wrestling with an invisible opponent. Quatre looked back at Doctor Reed's face. The man smiled comfortably. Quatre felt a sudden, unreasonable feeling of rage bubble up inside of him as he stared into Reed's light blue eyes. This was the man responsible for so much pain, anguish, anxiety, and fear. He sucked air in through his nose, breathing deeply and forced himself to relax. He glanced away from the man and looked over at Duo. The braided American was glaring with unbridled hatred at the man behind the desk. He'd never seen such a look on his friend's face before. He reached out and touched Duo's arm, silently willing him to cloak his emotions. After a moment a mask seemed to fall into place on Duo's face. Quatre gave a silent sigh of relief and dropped his hand from Duo's arm.

Doctor Reed was starting to get restless. He sat forward, leaning both his arms on the desk, frowning.

He sat back and drummed the fingers of his right hand on the surface of the desk, impatient. "What is he doing?" He finally demanded.

"Probably figuring out the best way to meet your demands." Duo said in a calm, cold tone.

Quatre chanced a quick glance at his friend. There was a dangerous quality to his voice. Quatre turned his attention back to Reed. He really couldn't blame Duo. He felt the same way but knew better then to express his feeling of dislike to the man behind the desk. Reed would probably just laugh; reveling in the slowly burning anger they sent his way.

Reed leaned forward expectantly as Heero came back into the room. "Well?"

"There is some difficulty in granting your requests." Heero said coolly. "You are considered a high level threat."

"How flattering for me." Reed interrupted.

Heero continued without seeming to notice the comment. "Zechs Merquise is a Preventer operative and will not be turned over without a good reason, while Trieze Kushranada is now considered to be a civilian."

"My, my." Reed said. "So you will not let me go or give me Zechs or Trieze? Their lives are more important then the hundreds of people in that hospital? Interesting." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully with his right hand and shook his head slowly. "How sad. You're willing to let many die just to refuse me three little demands."

"They aren't considered little by my superiors." Heero said.

"Why exactly do you want Zechs anyway?" Duo suddenly asked. "I can understand why you'd want Trieze back but why Zechs?"

"That is none of your business." Reed said calmly. "I want him, that should be enough. But sadly it seems that some think my demands are as worthless as all those lives…" He gave a long sigh. "Ah well…" He held his left hand out over the desk and slowly opened his hand. A detonator switch clattered to the desktop and slowly rolled to a halt on the polished wood.

"NOOOO, you BASTARD." Duo lunged forward but was stopped by Heero who grabbed his arm, holding him back. Duo's teeth were bared in a look of pure rage, his eyes blazed furiously.

"I suppose they weren't as worthless as I thought. What a shame. And to think this could've all been avoided if you had just agreed to my three little demands." Reed heaved an exaggerated sigh and shook his head. He observed Duo curiously. "How fierce you look."

Duo growled at him, teeth clenched tightly.

"Wufei?" Heero asked, raising his voice so he could be heard in the outer hall.

Wufei entered the room a satisfied smirk on his face. "All clear. Not one explosive went off. The hospital's fine."

"Good." Heero released Duo, giving him a pat on the shoulder as he did so. Duo seemed to sag in relief, the fire draining from his eyes as quickly as it had started. His normal cocky smile spread across his face as he looked at Reed whose face was slowly turning red

"Well, it looks like you played your trump card and lost." Duo said, laughing in relief.

Reed looked back at him with undisguised hatred in his eyes. "You think that was the only trump card I had?" He rose bringing his right hand up from beneath the desk. He was holding a gun that he aimed at Duo, tightening his finger on the trigger as he did so.

There was a sharp report as two gunshots went off in quick succession. Duo staggered back and crumpled to the floor. Blood flowed down the left side of his face, running freely from where the bullet had grazed the side of his skull.

Reed was seated in his chair looking down at his chest in confused bewilderment. A crimson stain was spreading rapidly over his shirt. "How? How could I?" He raised his eyes to Quatre who stood, a gun pointed steadily at him. "You shot me." His eyes were filled with disbelief and fear. He drew in a sucking, gasping breath of air and then exhaled slowly. His head fell to the side and he grew still.

"I'm sorry." Quatre said softly. "But I couldn't let you kill one of my friends." He turned away from the dead man, kneeling next to Duo who had sunk to the floor. Heero was crouched next to his friend pressing some gauze from a first aid kit firmly to the wound. "You okay Duo?" Quatre asked.

"Yeah." Duo grinned weakly. "Thanks a lot."

"Good job." Heero said, glancing at Quatre before turning back to Duo. He changed the blood soaked gauze and secured the new dressing with medical tape.

Wufei stood over Reed, pressed his fingers into the man's neck to make sure he was dead. He shook his head as he failed to find a pulse. Turning he walked to stand over Duo. "I shouldn't have let my guard down."

"None of us should've." Heero said shortly, rising and helping Duo up as well. Duo swayed in place for a moment before Heero steadied him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry guys." Duo said with a smile. "It's not like I've never been shot before. Anyway, all the people in the hospital are all right and that's what matters."

"True." Quatre smiled. He looked over to where Reed's body slumped in the chair behind the desk, his face grew sad and he turned away.

Duo walked over to him and threw an arm about his shoulders. "Come on." He said companionably. "Let's get out of here. The base is pretty much secured isn't it?" He looked over at Heero questioningly.

"Yes." Heero gave a short nod and Duo grinned turning back to Quatre.

"Let's go celebrate the ending of this threat." He jostled Quatreroughly, but in a friendly manner and was rewarded by a small smile.

"Sounds good to me." Quatre replied.

They left the room together.


	13. Epilogue

Silent Night  
Epilogue  
By: Starlight – x1

The hospital room was quiet save for the steady beeping of several machines. Sunlight filtered through the half opened Venetian blinds and fell in golden pools onto the floor tiles. Dust motes floated lazily in the beams of light

Trieze lay in the room, eyes closed. The upper half of his bed had been raised slightly so that he was half sitting, half lying as he slept.

A bouquet of red roses was set on a small table. Their subtle fragrance permeated the room, covering the antiseptic smell normally associated with hospitals.

Trieze stirred and slowly opened his eyes, blinking in some confusion. He frowned, lifting his left hand to his face, rubbing his temple slowly as he looked around the room. His gaze stopped at the window, arrested by the small patch of blue sky visible. His gaze then moved to the roses. He breathed deeply, a smile of contentment spreading over his face. His left hand dropped to the bed and landed on something soft. He looked down

Lady Une sat in a chair pulled close to the bed. Her arms were crossed on the mattress, her head pillowed on them, sleeping. Her face was turned toward him as if she had fallen asleep looking up into his face. Her light brown hair spilled over one cheek and onto the mattress. His hand rested lightly on several of the silky strands. Her lashes lay dark against creamy skin and she breathed softly, her back rising and falling rhythmically.

Trieze smiled and carefully brushed her hair back from her face. She sighed and he withdrew his hand, watching intently as she shifted and opened her eyes. She looked up at him for a moment and her lips trembled into an uncertain smile. "Good morning Mister Treize." Her voice was soft, gentle. A tone he couldn't remember hearing before. She sat up and pushed her hair back behind her ears, smoothing it somewhat self consciously. He watched entranced as the brown locks quickly fell into a semblance of order around her shoulders.

"How are you feeling?" Again that soft voice. Her rich brown eyes flicked to his blue ones and then away as if embarrassed or unsure.

"Fine." His voice sounded raspy and he cleared his throat.

Lady Une reached for a pitcher of water and a glass set on the same table as the roses and poured him a drink. "Here. " She offered, helping him as he sipped the lukewarm liquid through a straw.

"Thanks." His voice came out in its normal timbre. He glanced about the room before looking at her again. "What happened? My memory's somewhat blurred."

Her smile was stronger then before and she leaned toward him. "You're in Preventer's private medical facility." She paused for a moment glancing down at her hands and then up into his face. "Right now you're registered under a false name. Only a few people knew who you are or where you are. We figured that would be best."

He nodded and glanced down. Lady Une followed his gaze and blushed as she realized she had grabbed hold of his left hand with her right one as she was speaking. She tried to withdraw her hand but Trieze tightened his grip on her fingers. She stopped tugging and relaxed. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.

"So, what happens now?" Treize's voice was low.

Une sighed, watching his thumb rub back and forth over her soft skin. "It depends on a lot of things." She took a deep breath. "Mostly on how much you were involved with running Xousia." She looked at him again and he could see the pleading in her eyes.

"I don't know how involved I was." He answered honestly. "It's all a blur."

Une nodded, the curt motion familiar to him. "There will be an investigation regarding how involved you were by Preventer." She dropped her gaze. "I won't be in charge because of my past connection to you."

"That is the correct procedure." Trieze agreed. He released her hand and looked over at the bouquet. "Did you bring the roses? They're lovely."

Une folded her hands tightly in her lap. "Yes." She glanced at the flowers. Soft red petals offset by green leaves and tiny thorns. She looked back at Trieze, noting that he had fallen asleep again. A normal occurrence the doctor had assured her. He was still recovering from the drug Reed had poured into his system. He looked so peaceful. She smiled, content for now just to sit and watch him sleep.

-

The room was decorated for Christmas. Hilde looked about her with a sigh. "Beautiful," She breathed, enjoying the lights, holly and evergreen branches that were everywhere.

"It is, isn't it?" Duo came up behind her and slipped his arms about her waist, pulling her snug against him and resting his cheek next to hers. Hilde rested her hands on his well muscled arms and smiled.

"It was real nice of Relena to give this Christmas party." Hilde said, resting the back of her head against Duo's shoulder. "Especially since all of us missed Christmas originally."

"Mmhmm." Duo began swaying back and forth, rocking Hilde with him as he moved to the side. Suddenly he stopped and looked up. "Would you look at that?"

Hilde straightened, suspicious of the sudden innocence in Duo's voice. "What?" She looked up and began to laugh at the sight of mistletoe hanging from the arch of door. "You're shameless." She reached up and put her arms about Duo's neck, pulling his head down so that their lips touched. After a moment she pulled away, her cheeks flushed. "There, you've had your kiss, now behave yourself."

"Aw, Hilde." Duo grinned down at her. "Do I have to?"

"Yes." Hilde was firm and she pulled him out from under the mistletoe. "We can cuddle later, now we have friends to visit with." She pulled him over to where Quatre sat, relaxed on a couch next to the fireplace. Duo sat down next to him with more force then necessary, bouncing Quatre as he did so.

"Hey Quatre!" Duo said cheerily, throwing his arms across the back of the couch, stretching his legs out in front of him.

"Hello Duo, Hilde." Quatre smiled back at Duo and Hilde who had settled herself more circumspectly on the couch next to Duo tugging his arm down around her shoulder as she did so.

"So, how you doing?" Duo asked.

Quatre looked at him. "You're a worrywart." He said. "I'm fine." He smiled gently, lending truth to his words.

Duo grinned easily. "I suppose I am." He looked up and his grin spread, wider. "Look there."

Quatre and Hilde looked up to see Relena and Heero enter together. As they came under the mistletoe Duo called out. "Hey Heero, you'd better kiss her."

Heero frowned darkly at him, not comprehending. Duo just grinned and jerked his thumb up, causing the two to look above them. Relena blushed at the sight of the mistletoe. "It's just a decoration Duo. Christmasy. That's all. I didn't…" She stuttered to a stop and quickly stepped out from under the archway.

"It was real nice of you to have this party Relena." Quatre said, trying to soothe her while Hilde hushed the garrulous Duo.

"I just thought it would be nice to celebrate Christmas, all of us. We did miss it after all." Relena said. Her cheeks still flamed and she excused herself, brushing past Zechs and Noin as they entered.

Zechs looked after his sister, puzzled. "What's wrong with her?" He turned a suspicious glare to the room.

"Nothing much." Hilde assured him. "Duo was just being his regular big mouthed self. Don't worry I've got him well in hand."

Zechs gave a half grin at the sight of Hilde's tight grip on Duo's chestnut braid. "I see."

Duo pouted slightly and glanced around as much as Hilde's grip would let him. Heero had disappeared. He grinned to himself.

"What's so funny now?" Hilde's breath tickled his ear and he scrunched his shoulder in reflex.

"Oh, nothing." He winked at her and relaxed against the soft cushions of the couch. "Hey Wufei, glad you could join us."

Wufei was busy assisting Sally into the room and made a sound that could've been either a greeting or negative comment. He settled his partner into a comfortable overstuffed chair and then straightened.

"Merry Christmas Duo." Sally said, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Have you been a good boy this year do you think?"

"Who knows?" Duo shrugged. "Who cares? I got all I need right here, right now." His arm tightened around Hilde and he looked around at all his friends. "We've got peace again." He said in a somber tone. "That's a good enough Christmas present for me."

"Well said Duo." Quatre said. A smile brightened on his face. "Trowa! You made it."

Trowa gave his friend a quiet smile as he entered the room. Duo tipped his head back and looked up at the ceiling. "Go on Heero," he whispered under his breath to his absent friend. "Don't wimp out now."

-

Relena had slipped out onto a balcony. A light breeze blew, cooling her burning cheeks and causing her to shiver. She wrapped her arms about herself and stepped further out onto the balcony, looking up at the sky. The stars were visible, tiny pinpoints of light in the velvet sky. Why had she even put up that mistletoe? She knew the traditions surrounding it, but she'd never thought… _No._ Relena stopped herself. She had thought. She had entertained a hope that she would get kissed by Heero under the mistletoe. _But not in front of the others. And Duo…_ Her cheeks burned again and she shut her eyes tightly in embarrassment. She breathed out in a long sigh. It wouldn't happen now. Of that she was sure of. It probably would not have happened anyway.

Relena opened her eyes and let out a tiny shriek. "Heero!"

He stood looking at her, half hidden in shadows, his eyes unreadable.

"I – I didn't hear you come out." Relena said. She was babbling, she knew, but she couldn't seem to stop. "I'm so sorry about what Duo said. He can be so annoying sometimes…"

Heero took a step forward and cupped her chin with one hand, cutting off her run on sentences. He tipped her head up gently.

Relena blinked at him, shock and surprise in her eyes. "H-heero?"

"I was under the mistletoe with you." He bent down and kissed her.

Relena's arms crept around his neck, her eyes closed. She didn't know anything, couldn't feel anything but his lips on hers, his arms about her, holding her tightly but ever so gently.

The kiss ended and Heero straightened. Relena smiled up at him. He lifted a hand, touched her cheek and the moisture there. "You're crying." There was concern in his voice. He wiped the tears away carefully.

"I am? I didn't know." Relena said dazedly. She couldn't look away from his face and his beautiful Prussian blue eyes, black now in the darkness.

"You're shivering." Heero said, tightening his arms about her. "I'd better get you inside."

"No, I'm fine." Relena stopped him. "Let's stay out here just a little longer."

"All right." Heero shifted his weight, pulling her comfortably against him.

"Heero?" Relena asked tentatively, looking up at his face.

"Yes?"

"You did kiss me, right?"

"Yes."

Relena could've sworn there was a look of amusement in Heero's eyes as he answered.

"Will you kiss me again?" She couldn't help the note of hope that found its way into her voice.

Again the amusement flitted its way across Heero's eyes. "Probably."

Satisfied she lay her head back on his chest, cuddling close as they both looked up at the stars together.


End file.
